Measuring deep time: the Sidereal Year and the Tropical Year in Maya inscriptions

Maya inscriptions contain numerous examples of long intervals of time that count both backward and forward from a fixed point of historical reference to specific mythological dates, often thousands of years in the past or future. This paper considers the evidence that these intervals incorporated pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 2011-01, Vol.7 (S278), p.214-230
Main Author: Grofe, Michael J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Contributed Papers
Counting
Inscriptions
Intervals
Mathematical analysis
Mayan civilization
Methodology
Mythology
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:Maya inscriptions contain numerous examples of long intervals of time that count both backward and forward from a fixed point of historical reference to specific mythological dates, often thousands of years in the past or future. This paper considers the evidence that these intervals incorporated precise calculations of both the sidereal year and the tropical year. Furthermore, it outlines a specific methodology for assessing the likelihood that these distance numbers were either intentionally calculated to incorporate these astronomical measurements, or if these results are merely coincidental.
ISSN:1743-9213
1743-9221
DOI:10.1017/S1743921311012646