Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Introduction to Maya Cosmology
Introduction to Maya Cosmology
Knowledge check
Q1. Which calendar system, used alongside the 260-day sacred count, consisted of 18 months of 20 days plus a 5-day period?
- A. The Gregorian calendar
- B. The Haab' (vague year) ✓
- C. The Julian calendar
- D. The Long Count only
Why: The Haab' was a 365-day solar calendar made of 18 months of 20 days plus 5 extra days called Wayeb'. It ran alongside the 260-day Tzolk'in count, and together they formed the Calendar Round.
Q2. What is the length of the Tzolk'in, the sacred 260-day count used in Maya cosmology?
- A. 260 days, formed by combining 13 numbers with 20 day names ✓
- B. 365 days, formed by combining 18 months with 20 days
- C. 200 days, formed by combining 10 numbers with 20 day names
- D. 312 days, formed by combining 12 numbers with 26 day names
Why: The Tzolk'in combines a cycle of 13 numbers with a cycle of 20 named days, producing 260 unique combinations before repeating. It is central to Maya ritual and divination.
Q3. In Maya cosmology, what did the Maya call the sacred book that records creation myths and the origins of the world?
- A. The Codex Mendoza
- B. The Popol Vuh ✓
- C. The Chilam Balam
- D. The Dresden Codex
Why: The Popol Vuh is a K'iche' Maya text recording the creation of the world, the gods, and the origins of humanity. Its name translates roughly to 'Book of the Community.'
Q4. What does the Maya term 'Wakah Chan' or the world tree concept, often depicted as a ceiba tree, represent in Maya cosmology?
- A. A symbol of the calendar's annual cycle only
- B. A connection between the underworld, the earthly realm, and the heavens ✓
- C. A marker of the boundary between Maya and non-Maya territories
- D. A tool used exclusively by astronomers to predict eclipses
Why: The world tree links the three levels of the Maya universe: the underworld (Xibalba) at the roots, the earthly plane in the middle, and the celestial realm at the top. It symbolizes cosmic order and connection.
Q5. What term describes the Maya concept of the cyclical nature of time, in which periods of time are repeated and their characteristics recur?
- A. Linear progression
- B. Cyclical recurrence ✓
- C. Eternal stasis
- D. Random chance
Why: Maya cosmology views time as cyclical, with cosmic periods repeating and carrying forward the qualities of earlier cycles. This belief shaped their prophecies, rituals, and astronomical observations.
Module 2
Module 2: The Tzolk'in and the 260-Day Sacred Calendar
The Tzolk'in and the 260-Day Sacred Calendar
Knowledge check
Q1. How many days are in one full cycle of the Tzolk'in, the 260-day sacred calendar used by the Maya?
- A. 365
- B. 260 ✓
- C. 052
- D. 200
Why: The Tzolk'in is a 260-day count, which is the basis for its name and its role as a ritual calendar. It is distinct from the 365-day Haab', the solar calendar.
Q2. The Tzolk'in is formed by combining two cycles of different lengths. Which pair correctly describes them?
- A. A 20-day cycle of named days and a 13-number cycle ✓
- B. A 12-month cycle and a 30-day cycle
- C. A 7-day cycle and a 37-number cycle
- D. A 18-month cycle and a 20-day cycle
Why: The Tzolk'in pairs 20 named day signs with 13 numbers (1 through 13). Running these cycles together produces 260 unique day combinations (20 x 13 = 260) before they repeat.
Q3. Which Tzolk'in day-sign name is commonly associated with the first day of the sequence in many Maya calendar traditions?
- A. Ik'
- B. Imix ✓
- C. Kan
- D. Ahau
Why: Imix is typically counted as the first of the 20 day signs in the common sequence, often paired with the number 1 to start the cycle. The sequence then moves through signs such as Ik', Akbal, and Kan.
Q4. The 260-day Tzolk'in is roughly associated with which natural rhythm, according to scholars' theories?
- A. The lunar eclipse cycle of exactly 18 years
- B. Human gestation, approximately 9 months, and related agricultural or ritual timing ✓
- C. The orbit of Venus, which is 584 days
- D. The solar year divided into four seasons
Why: Scholars have proposed that the 260-day count may relate to human gestation (about 9 months, roughly 266 days) and to agricultural or ritual timing. The exact origin is still debated, which is why it remains a subject of study rather than settled fact.
Q5. In the Maya calendar system, what is the name of the 365-day solar calendar that runs alongside the Tzolk'in?
- A. Long Count
- B. Haab' ✓
- C. Katun
- D. Baktun
Why: The Haab' is the 365-day solar calendar, made of 18 months of 20 days plus a short period of 5 days. Together with the Tzolk'in, it forms the Calendar Round, which repeats about every 52 years.
Module 3
Module 3: The Haab' and the 365-Day Solar Year
The Haab' and the 365-Day Solar Year
Knowledge check
Q1. How many days are in the Haab' calendar year?
- A. 260
- B. 365 ✓
- C. 360
- D. 366
Why: The Haab' is a solar calendar of 365 days, made up of 18 months of 20 days each (360 days) plus a short month of 5 days called Wayeb'.
Q2. What is the name of the 5-day period that completes the Haab' year?
- A. Tzolk'in
- B. Wayeb' ✓
- C. K'atun
- D. Baktun
Why: Wayeb' is the 5-day period added at the end of the Haab' year to bring the total to 365 days. It was considered an unlucky time in Maya belief.
Q3. How many months of 20 days each are in the Haab' before the Wayeb'?
- A. 12
- B. 13
- C. 18 ✓
- D. 20
Why: The Haab' contains 18 named months of 20 days each, totaling 360 days, followed by the 5-day Wayeb' period.
Q4. Which calendar does the Haab' work alongside to form the Calendar Round?
- A. The Long Count
- B. The Tzolk'in ✓
- C. The Lunar Count
- D. The Venus Table
Why: The Haab' (365 days) and the Tzolk'in (260 days) run together, and their combined cycle of about 52 years is known as the Calendar Round.
Q5. Why is the Haab' considered a solar year?
- A. It tracks the phases of the moon
- B. It is based on the movement of Venus
- C. It approximates the length of the tropical year of about 365 days ✓
- D. It counts the cycles of the Tzolk'in
Why: The Haab' approximates the solar year's length of roughly 365 days, tracking seasons and the sun's yearly cycle, unlike the ritual 260-day Tzolk'in.
Module 4
Module 4: The Long Count and Maya Timekeeping
The Long Count and Maya Timekeeping
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the primary purpose of the Maya Long Count calendar?
- A. To predict the timing of planting and harvest seasons
- B. To track long spans of time from a fixed starting point in the past ✓
- C. To schedule religious festivals within a single solar year
- D. To record the movements of the Moon across the night sky
Why: The Long Count measures elapsed days from a fixed mythological starting date (corresponding to August 11, 3114 BCE in the GMT correlation), allowing the Maya to record historical events across very long periods.
Q2. Which unit in the Long Count system equals 20 tun?
- A. Kin
- B. Winal
- C. Katun ✓
- D. Baktun
Why: The Maya vigesimal system used these units: 1 kin = 1 day, 1 winal = 20 kin, 1 tun = 18 winal (360 days), and 1 katun = 20 tun (7,200 days). The katun is therefore the unit equal to 20 tun.
Q3. How many days does one tun contain in the Maya Long Count?
- A. 365 days
- B. 260 days
- C. 360 days ✓
- D. 400 days
Why: A tun consists of 18 winal, and each winal is 20 kin (days), so one tun equals 360 days. This approximates the solar year and was a key unit for Maya timekeeping.
Q4. What is the value of one baktun in days?
- A. 7,200 days
- B. 144,000 days ✓
- C. 1,872,000 days
- D. 20 days
Why: A baktun equals 20 katun. Since one katun is 7,200 days, one baktun is 144,000 days, or roughly 394 years, making it the largest commonly used unit in standard Long Count dates.
Q5. Why does the Long Count use a base-20 (vigesimal) system with one irregular unit of 18 winal per tun?
- A. Because the Maya had no concept of the number zero
- B. Because the tun was designed to approximate a 360-day year, a compromise between base-20 counting and the solar cycle ✓
- C. Because 18 is a sacred number in Maya cosmology
- D. Because the Maya used a decimal system for all calculations
Why: The Maya generally counted in base 20, but the tun deliberately uses 18 winal (360 days) to approximate the solar year of about 365 days, reflecting a practical blend of their numerical system and astronomical observation.
Module 5
Module 5: Day Signs, Numbers, and Their Meanings
Day Signs, Numbers, and Their Meanings
Knowledge check
Q1. In the Tzolk'in calendar, how many day signs are there?
- A. 12
- B. 20 ✓
- C. 13
- D. 260
Why: The Tzolk'in uses 20 named day signs (such as Imix, Ik', Akbal, and Kan), which are combined with numbers 1 through 13 to form a 260-day cycle.
Q2. What is the number range used alongside the day signs in the Tzolk'in?
- A. 1 to 20
- B. 0 to 19
- C. 1 to 13 ✓
- D. 1 to 52
Why: Each day is given a number from 1 to 13 paired with one of the 20 day signs. Since 13 and 20 are coprime, each combination occurs exactly once in the 260-day cycle.
Q3. Which day sign is traditionally associated with the first day of the Tzolk'in count?
- A. Ik'
- B. Kan
- C. Imix ✓
- D. Ahau
Why: Imix is the first of the 20 day signs and is often associated with the sea or earth monster and water, marking the starting point of the sequence.
Q4. Which day sign is the last in the Tzolk'in sequence of 20?
- A. Ajaw
- B. Ahau ✓
- C. Ix
- D. Manik'
Why: Ahau (also spelled Ajaw) is the twentieth and final day sign, often associated with the ruler, sun, and completion of the cycle.
Q5. How many days long is one full Tzolk'in cycle?
- A. 200 days
- B. 260 days ✓
- C. 365 days
- D. 360 days
Why: The Tzolk'in cycle is 260 days long, the product of 13 numbers and 20 day signs, and it repeats continuously as one of the core Mayan calendar counts.
Module 6
Module 6: The Nawales: Guardian Spirits of the Days
The Nawales: Guardian Spirits of the Days
Knowledge check
Q1. In Maya tradition, what are the nawales?
- A. Ancient calendar priests who recorded eclipses
- B. Guardian spirits or animal-spirit companions associated with each day of the Maya calendar ✓
- C. Mythical rulers of the four cardinal directions
- D. Sacred maize varieties used in ritual offerings
Why: Nawales (nahwales) are guardian spirits or animal-spirit companions linked to the 20 day signs of the Maya calendar, and they are central to many Maya day-keeping and divinatory traditions.
Q2. How many day signs are there in the Maya Tzolk'in (sacred 260-day calendar)?
- A. 12
- B. 13
- C. 20 ✓
- D. 260
Why: The Tzolk'in combines 13 numbers with 20 day signs, and each day sign has an associated nawal. The 260-day count is the full cycle produced by combining the numbers and signs, not the number of signs.
Q3. Which of the following is a commonly cited day sign in the Maya calendar with a nawal associated with it?
- A. Ahau ✓
- B. Ouroboros
- C. Zodiac
- D. Quetzal
Why: Ahau (meaning lord or sun) is one of the 20 Maya day signs. Ouroboros, zodiac, and quetzal are not Maya day signs; the others are from different traditions or are simply birds or symbols.
Q4. Why are nawales considered important in Maya day-keeping practices?
- A. They determine the exact date of planting crops only
- B. They are believed to influence a person's character, destiny, and the qualities of the day they are born under ✓
- C. They are used to measure the length of solar years
- D. They serve as military ranks in ancient city-states
Why: In many Maya belief systems, the nawal associated with a person's birth day is thought to shape their personality, life path, and spiritual guidance, which is why day-keepers consult them.
Q5. Who traditionally works with nawales and the sacred calendar in contemporary Maya communities?
- A. Only European scholars studying ancient ruins
- B. Day-keepers, or aj q'ij, who are spiritual guides and calendar specialists ✓
- C. Municipal tax collectors
- D. Professional astronomers at national observatories
Why: Day-keepers (aj q'ij in K'iche' and related terms in other languages) are spiritual guides who interpret the calendar, perform ceremonies, and work with nawales for individuals and communities.
Module 7
Module 7: Reading the Calendar: Divination and Ceremonial Practice
Reading the Calendar: Divination and Ceremonial Practice
Knowledge check
Q1. In the Maya calendar system, what is the name of the 260-day ritual calendar used for divination and ceremonial purposes?
- A. Haab
- B. Tzolk'in ✓
- C. Long Count
- D. Venus Table
Why: The Tzolk'in is the 260-day sacred calendar, formed by combining 13 numbers with 20 day names. It was used for divination and determining ceremonial timing, while the Haab was the 365-day solar calendar.
Q2. How many days are in the Tzolk'in calendar cycle?
- A. 260 ✓
- B. 365
- C. 52
- D. 400
Why: The Tzolk'in consists of 260 days, produced by cycling 13 numbers against 20 named days. This count is central to Maya ritual and divinatory practice.
Q3. The Haab calendar contains 365 days, but how is it divided?
- A. Into 13 months of 28 days
- B. Into 18 months of 20 days plus a 5-day period called Wayeb ✓
- C. Into 20 months of 18 days each
- D. Into 12 months of 30 days with 5 extra days
Why: The Haab consists of 18 months of 20 days each (360 days) followed by Wayeb, a short 5-day period considered unlucky. Option D describes a different system, not the Maya Haab.
Q4. What is the Calendar Round in Maya timekeeping?
- A. A ceremony performed every 20 years
- B. The combined cycle of the Tzolk'in and Haab, repeating approximately every 52 years ✓
- C. A circular table listing planetary positions
- D. The 13 deities associated with each day
Why: The Calendar Round results from the interlocking of the 260-day Tzolk'in and 365-day Haab. Their combination repeats after 18,980 days, about 52 solar years, and was significant for ceremonies and renewals.
Q5. Why was the 5-day Wayeb period traditionally regarded as dangerous or inauspicious?
- A. It was believed to be outside the normal cycle of time, when the boundary between the human and supernatural worlds was thin ✓
- B. It was the period when crops were harvested and no rituals could occur
- C. It marked the time when the Maya calendar was reset
- D. It was reserved exclusively for royal births
Why: Wayeb was seen as a liminal time outside the regular 360-day count, when supernatural forces were considered especially active and dangerous. Rituals and activities were often restricted during this period.