End of the World

ENPOF HE WORLD. It's 2012, which means the end of the world is nigh. Or at least for the 1 in 10 people who think the ancient Mayans' disturbingly accurate calendar predicted the end of the world at the end of the year. But Mayan experts say that such predictions are not actually found in any of the surviving Mayan accounts, and the idea that the world will end this December misrepresents Mayan history and culture. So what exactly does the Mayan calendar say? Here's everything you need to know. Mayan Calendars To measure time accurately, including periods of thousands and even millions of years, the ancient Mayans used a series of calendars that worked like wheels within wheels. The Mayans used two primary calendars. Two additional calendars comprise the Calendar Round: Long Count Calendar Round 2,880,000 days 5,125-year cycle 18,980 days 52-year cycle Tzolk'in Haab 260-day cycle 365-day cycle An illustratrion of the Maya Calendar Tzolk'in and Haab wheels. Concept of Time Today Mayan Start Middle End How the Mayan Calendars Work Tzolk'in 260-day ritual calendar The Tzolk'in calendar combines a cycle of 20 named periods, each cycling through 13 days. Haab 365-day solar calendar The Haab is an 18-month calendar, each month comprising 20 days. The Mayans also added a 19th month, made up of five "unlucky" days. Like the modern-day calendar, the Haab is about one solar year. 6. Death 5. Snake 7. Deen 4. Sacrifice 8. Star 20 named periods 3. Night 9. Water 2. Wind 10. Dog Tzolk'in 1. Alligator 11. Monkey 13 days 12. Rain 20. Sun 19. Rainstorm 13. Seed 14. Jaguar 18. Flint 17. Earth 15. Eagle 16. Wax Haab 3. Red conjunction 4. Bat 2. Black conjunction 1. Mat 19. Unlucky month 18. Granary 17. Turtle 16. Planting time Long Count To specify dates over periods longer than the Calendar Round, Mayans used the Long Count. The Long Count consists of five distinct units with increasing intervals. 144,000 days 7,200 days 360 days 20 days 1 day baktun. katun . tun. uinal , kin 13.0.0.0.0 The Mayan date the old creation stories say will mark the end of the "fourth world." The date translates to Dec. 21, 2012. Mayan experts say misinterpretation of the Long Count has led to the popular belief that the end of the world will take place in December, when in reality, the Long Count cycle will simply start over. gp DESIGNED BY KYLE KIM Sources: kyleykim http://www.eecis.udel.edu/-mills/maya.html http://www.anthro.psu.edu/faculty_staff/docs/Webster_GermanyMaya.pdf http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-03-27-maya-2012_n.htm http://news.discovery.com/earth/maya-doomsday-2012.html http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/weird-wide-web/mayan-end-of-the-world http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/weird-wide-web/new-mayan-calendar-discovered-world-wont-end-2012