| 2012 is set to be a momentous time, the very first | | | | uinal and 18 uinals in a tun (around a year). A K'atun |
| winter youth Olympic games is going to be held in | | | | contains twenty tuns and twenty of these a b'ak'tun. |
| January, the US are going to hold a presidential | | | | Once more the number 13 was important and quite a |
| election and the United Kingdom will commemorate | | | | few inscriptions in Mayan artwork indicate the date |
| the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth. But if you're | | | | changing at the conclusion of 13 b'ak'tuns and spoke |
| getting excited about 2013 don't get your hopes up, | | | | of incidents that occur on that particular date. This |
| given that based on some forecasts, the entire world | | | | lead to suggestions that the Mayans envisioned |
| is due to end on December 21, 2012. In case you | | | | something substantial might occur on the final day of |
| enjoy Christmas, take full advantage of this season | | | | the 13th B'ak'tun. That day has been calculated to be |
| and the next, since based on the Mayan calendar, | | | | 21st or 23 December 2012. What exactly can we |
| they'll be your last. Potentially. | | | | expect? |
| Before Europeans showed up in Meso-America, the | | | | Well according to a number of scholars nothing at all. |
| population employed an elaborate combination of | | | | There are some references to things taking place |
| calendars to record their days. The Haab or solar | | | | about that point in time in inscriptions, but nothing |
| calendar, both a timepiece and Mayan art form, was | | | | really concrete, so it is really surprising just how much |
| created from 18 20 day months along with a interval | | | | fuss 2012 seems to be generating. A few say there'll |
| of 5 days called Wayeb to bring the sum to 365. | | | | a religious evolution, while some refer to a |
| The Tzolkin however was a cycle of 260 days, | | | | momentous galactic alignment, though this draws on |
| thirteen multiplied by 20. No-one has learned quite | | | | the positioning of the galactic equator, and that can't |
| why 260 days were picked, although it seems the | | | | be established, this doesn't appear extremely |
| numbers 13 along with 20 were each important to | | | | probable. But others are worried about planet Niburu. |
| these early cultures. There exists a possibility that it | | | | Collision with planet X (or Niburu) was predicted since |
| was associated with the amount of time in between | | | | 2003, but any planet near enough to be in collision |
| a woman's first skipped period and the birth of her | | | | with the Earth in 2012 would now become plainly |
| child, and made it easier to calculate when a baby | | | | visible to astronomers in the night sky. Sadly this |
| would be born, however various other ideas about | | | | fictional collision is now confused in the press with the |
| crop harvesting and astrological observations might | | | | real and expected approach of a large asteroid |
| be equally correct. Nearly all dates could be | | | | known as Eros which is likely to pass our planet in |
| established by a combination of the Haab and Tzolin, | | | | 2012. Eros is greater than the asteroid that we |
| the cycle would come along one time every | | | | believe wiped out the dinosaurs 65 millions years back |
| fifty-two years, that is about once in every life time. | | | | but since it will never be closer than seventy times |
| To observe periods for a longer period than | | | | the distance from the moon, it's unlikely to do any |
| fifty-two years the Mayans applied a different | | | | destruction. |
| technique which we now call the Long Count | | | | Looking at the Mayan calendar is a great reason to |
| calendar. This system is demonstrated in both Olmec | | | | consider just how we measure time and why, to |
| and Aztec art and wasn't introduced by the Maya. | | | | understand the solar cycles which still rule our lives |
| Dates run forwards from the mythical day zero, the | | | | and also to enjoy the fine art of an intriguing culture. |
| date of the introduction of the current world. Like all | | | | As to getting ready for the end of the world, that |
| cultures the base units were days, with 20 days in a | | | | still would seem a little bit premature. |