The Haab was the Maya solar calendar made up of eighteen months of twenty days each and a five day month at the end of the year known as Wayeb or Uayeb that was called "the nameless days." Victoria Bricker estimates that the Haab was first used around 550 BC with the starting point of the winter solstice. The Haab was the foundation of the agrarian calendar and the month names are based on the seasons and agricultural events. For example the thirteenth month, Mac, may refer to the end of the rainy season and the fourteenth month, Kankin ...

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Maya calendar, Maya calendar - General overview, Maya calendar - Maya concepts of time, Maya calendar - Tzolk'in, Maya calendar - Divination, Maya calendar - Origin of the Tzolkin, Maya calendar - Haab, Maya calendar - Wayeb, Maya calendar - Calendar Round, Maya calendar - Long Count, Maya calendar - Calculating Long Count dates, Maya calendar - Calculating the Tzolkin date portion, Maya calendar - Calculating the Haab date portion, Maya calendar - End of the world?, Maya calendar - Venus cycle

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The Maya believed there were five different cardinal directions four of which were associated with colors: north/white, south/yellow, east/red, west/black, and center which was associated with the tree of life, symbolised by a great ceiba tree that was the center of the cosmos. Mayan gods had different aspects based on these five directions as well as the different natural cycles that the Maya observed. The gods also had dualistic natures associating them with day or night, life or death. There were thirteen gods of the thirteen heavens of t ...

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Maya mythology, Maya mythology - Overview, Maya mythology - The Creation Myth, Maya mythology - Notable Gods, Maya mythology - Bacabs, Maya mythology - The First Humans, Maya mythology - The Men, Maya mythology - Their Wives, Maya mythology - Gods and Supernatural Beings, Maya mythology - Locations, Maya mythology - Reference

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History of astronomy - Maya civilization. The Maya calculated the solar year to somewhat greater accuracy than the Gregorian calendar. They made detailed tables for calculating phases of the Moon and the movements of Venus for centuries in the past or future. Astronomy and the measurement of time were vitally important components of Mayan religion. The Maya also carefully tracked the phases of the Moon and the motions of the naked eye planets. To the ancient Maya, Venus was the patron of war and many recorded battles are timed to the motions of this planet. Mars is also mentioned in ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

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There were many such books in existence at the time of the Spanish conquest of Yucatán in the 16th century, but they were destroyed in bulk by the Conquistadors and priests soon after. In particular, all those in Yucatán were ordered destroyed by Bishop Diego de Landa in July of 1562. Such codices were primary written records of Maya civilization, together with the many inscriptions on stone monuments and stelae which survive to the present day. However, their range of subject matter in all likelihood differed significantly from the topics ...

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Maya codices, Maya codices - Background, Maya codices - Dresden Codex, Maya codices - Madrid Codex, Maya codices - Paris Codex, Maya codices - Grolier Codex, Maya codices - Other Maya codices, Maya codices - Forgeries, Maya codices - Commentary, Maya codices - Technology

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The first Spanish arrived in Yucatán by accident in 1511 when a small boat with a dozen men was blown there by a severe storm. They were taken captive and several were killed, and the rest impressed as slaves, but after learning the language they were given their freedom. They unknowingly brought an epidemic disease, probably smallpox, to the region, which killed a great many people in waves for the next 5 years. The next contact was not until 1517 when Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba sailed out from Cuba in search of slaves to replac ...

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Spanish conquest of Yucatán, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Early contact between the Spanish and the Maya of Yucatán, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - First Spanish attempt at conquest, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Second Spanish attempt at conquest, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Third successful Spanish invasion, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - The Peten Itza

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There were many such books in existence at the time of the Spanish conquest of Yucatán in the 16th century, but they were destroyed in bulk by the Conquistadors and priests soon after. In particular, all those in Yucatán were ordered destroyed by Bishop Diego de Landa in July of 1562. Such codices were primary written records of Maya civilization, together with the many inscriptions on stone monuments and stelae which survive to the present day. However, their range of subject matter in all likelihood differed significantly from the topics ...

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Maya codices, Maya codices - Background, Maya codices - Dresden Codex, Maya codices - Madrid Codex, Maya codices - Paris Codex, Maya codices - Grolier Codex, Maya codices - Other Maya codices, Maya codices - Forgeries, Maya codices - Commentary

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In Maya mythology, Tepeu and Gucumatz (also known as Kukulkan, and as the Aztec's Quetzalcoatl) are referred to as the Creators, the Makers, and the Forefathers. They were two of the first beings to exist and were said to be as wise as sages. Huracan, or the Heart of Heaven, also existed and is given less personification. He acts more like a storm, of which he is the god. Tepeu and Gucumatz hold a conference and decide that, in order to preserve their legacy, they must create a race of beings who can worship them. Huracan does ...

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Maya mythology, Maya mythology - Overview, Maya mythology - The Creation Myth, Maya mythology - Notable Gods, Maya mythology - Bacabs, Maya mythology - The First Humans, Maya mythology - The Men, Maya mythology - Their Wives, Maya mythology - Gods and Supernatural Beings, Maya mythology - Locations, Maya mythology - Reference

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The first Spanish arrived in Yucatán by accident in 1511 when a small boat with a dozen men was blown there by a severe storm. They were taken captive and several were killed, and the rest imprisoned as slaves, but after learning the language they were given their freedom. They unknowingly brought an epidemic disease, probably smallpox, to the region, which killed a great many people in waves for the next 5 years. The next contact was not until 1517 when Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba sailed out from Cuba in search of slaves to repla ...

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Spanish conquest of Yucatán, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Early contact between the Spanish and the Maya of Yucatán, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - First Spanish attempt at conquest, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Second Spanish attempt at conquest, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Third successful Spanish invasion, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - The Peten Itza

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Maya mythology - The Men. B'alam Agab Meaning "night jaguar," he was the second of the men created from maize after the Great Flood sent by Hurakan. He married Choimha. B'alam Quitze Meaning "jaguar with the sweet smile," was the first of the men created from maize after the Great Flood sent by Hurakan. The gods created Caha-Paluma specifically for him to marry. Alernative names: Balam Quitze, Balam Quitzé Iqi B'alam Meaning "moon jaguar," he was the third of th ...

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Maya mythology, Maya mythology - Overview, Maya mythology - The Creation Myth, Maya mythology - Notable Gods, Maya mythology - Bacabs, Maya mythology - The First Humans, Maya mythology - The Men, Maya mythology - Their Wives, Maya mythology - Gods and Supernatural Beings, Maya mythology - Locations, Maya mythology - Reference

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Many sociologists and anthropologists have created social theories dealing with social and cultural evolution. Some, like Lewis H. Morgan, Leslie White, and Gerhard Lenski, declare technological progress to be the primary factor driving the development of human civilisation. Morgan's concept of three major stages of social evoluton (savagery, barbarism, and civilization) can be divided by technological milestones, like fire, the bow, and pottery in the savage era, domestication of animals, agriculture, and metalworking ...

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History of technology, History of technology - By period and geography, History of technology - Early technology, History of technology - Prehistoric times, History of technology - Ancient Egypt, History of technology - Tribal Europe, History of technology - Ancient Rome, History of technology - Ancient India, History of technology - Ancient China, History of technology - Medieval China, History of technology - Inca, History of technology - Maya, History of technology - European, History of technology - Measuring technological progress, History of technology - By type of technology, History of technology - History of biotechnology, History of technology - History of civil engineering, History of technology - History of communication, History of technology - History of computing, History of technology - History of consumer technology, History of technology - History of electrical engineering, History of technology - History of energy technology, History of technology - History of materials science, History of technology - History of medicine, History of technology - History of military technology, History of technology - History of nuclear technology, History of technology - History of scientific technology, History of technology - History of timekeeping, History of technology - History of transport technology, History of technology - Related history, History of technology - Related disciplines, History of technology - Related subjects, History of technology - Future of science and technology speculative, History of technology - People, History of technology - Historiography of science and technology, History of technology - Historians of science and technology, History of technology - Journals and periodicals in the history of science and technology, History of technology - Research institutes

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History of astronomy - China. Ancient Chinese Astronomy dates back before Christ. Chinese Astronomers were to be able to predict comets and eclipses precisely. Any inaccuracy and the Emperor would order the Astronomer to be beheaded. ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

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History of astronomy - Sumer. History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia. ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

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The Itza Maya of the Peten region should be mentioned; while that area is now part of Guatemala, in colonial times it was part of the land under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Yucatán. The Itza capital was in Tayasal, an island city in lake Peten. The Itza land was separated from Spanish Yucatán to the north and Spanish Guatemala to the south by thick jungles with little population. It had been visited by Cortés on his march to Honduras in 1525, when the lords of the Itza pledged loyalty to Spain, but was thereafter neglected by Span ...

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Spanish conquest of Yucatán, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Early contact between the Spanish and the Maya of Yucatán, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - First Spanish attempt at conquest, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Second Spanish attempt at conquest, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - Third successful Spanish invasion, Spanish conquest of Yucatán - The Peten Itza

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Greeks made some important contributions to astronomy, but the progress was mostly stagnant in medieval Europe, while it flourished in the Arab world and priests in distant parishes needed elementary astronomical knowledge for calculating the exact date of the Easter. The Arabic world under Islam had become highly cultured, and many important works of knowledge from ancient Greece were translated into Arabic, used and stored in libraries throughout the area. The late 9th century Islamic astronomer al-Farghani wrote extensively on the motion of celestial bodies. His ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

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The renaissance came to astronomy with the work of Copernicus, who proposed a heliocentric system. His work was defended, expanded upon and corrected by the likes of Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler. Kepler, using precise naked-eye observations made by Tycho Brahe, discovered the three laws of planetary movement that carry his name (though he published them mixed with some other not-so-correct ideas, and didn't give them the importance that we do). Galileo was among the first to use a telescope to observe the sky, and after ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

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At the end of the 19th century it was discovered that, when decomposing the light from the sun, a multitude of spectral lines were observed (regions where there was less or no light). Experiments with hot gases showed that the same lines could be observed in the spectra of gases, specific lines corresponding to unique elements. It was proved that the chemical elements found in the sun (chiefly hydrogen and helium) were also found on Earth. During the 20th century spectrometry (the study of these lines) advanced, especially because of the advent of quantum ph ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

Read more here: » History of astronomy: Encyclopedia II - History of astronomy - Modern astronomy

Most of our current knowledge was gained during the 20th century. With the help of the use of photography, fainter objects were observed. Our sun was found to be part of a galaxy made by more than 1010 stars (10 billion stars). The existence of other galaxies, one of the matters of the great debate, was settled by Edwin Hubble, who identified the Andromeda nebula as a different g ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

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The book begins with the Maya civilization's creation myth followed by the stories of the Maya Hero Twins Hunahpu (Junajpu) and Xbalanque (Xb'alanke) who are prominent figures of Maya mythology. The book continues with details of the foundation and history of the Quiché Kingdom, tying in the royal family with the legendary gods in order to assert rule by divine right. Here is the beginning of the creation story, in modernized spelling and punctuation: Are utzijoxik wa'e k'ak atz'ininoq,See also:

Popol Vuh, Popol Vuh - Overview, Popol Vuh - History of the book, Popol Vuh - Other sources

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Late in the 19th century, scientists began discovering forms of light which were invisible to the naked eye: X-Rays, gamma rays, radio waves, microwaves, ultraviolet radiation, and infrared radiation. This had a major impact on astronomy, spawning the fields of infrared astronomy, radio astronomy, x-ray astronomy and finally gamma-ray astronomy. With the advent of spectroscopy it was proved that other stars were similar to our own sun, but with a range of temperatures, masses and sizes. The existence of our galaxy, the Milky Way, as a separa ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

Read more here: » History of astronomy: Encyclopedia II - History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

Early cultures identifed celestial objects with gods and spirits. They related these objects (and their movements) to phenomena such as rain, drought, seasons, and tides. It is generally believed that the first "professional" astronomers were priests (Magi), and that their understanding of the "heavens" was seen as "divine", hence astronomy's ancient connection to what is now called astrology. Ancient constructions with astronomical alineations (such as Stonehenge) proba ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

Read more here: » History of astronomy: Encyclopedia II - History of astronomy - Ancient history

See also: Hindu astronomy There are astronomical references of chronological significance in the Vedas. Some Vedic notices mark the beginning of the year and that of the vernal equinox in Orion; this was the case around 4500 BC. Fire altars, with astronomical basis, have been found in the third millennium cities of India. The texts that describe their designs are conservatively dated to the first millennium BC, but their contents appear to be much older. Yajnavalkya (perhaps 1800 BC) described the motions of the sun and the moon in his book Shatapatha Brahmana, and also advanced a 95-year cycle to sy ...

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History of astronomy, History of astronomy - Ancient history, History of astronomy - India, History of astronomy - Mesopotamia, History of astronomy - Sumer, History of astronomy - Chaldea Babylonia, History of astronomy - Mesoamerica, History of astronomy - Maya civilization, History of astronomy - East Asia, History of astronomy - China, History of astronomy - Ancient Greece, History of astronomy - Middle ages, History of astronomy - The Copernican revolution, History of astronomy - Physics marries astronomy, History of astronomy - Modern astronomy, History of astronomy - Cosmology and the expansion of the universe, History of astronomy - New windows into the Cosmos open

Read more here: » History of astronomy: Encyclopedia II - History of astronomy - India

Lost city - Maya cities. very incomplete list. see Maya civilization Chichen Itza — ancient place of pilgrimage is still the most visitied Maya ruin Copán — in modern Honduras Calakmul — One of two "superpowers" in the classic Maya period. Koba — Naachtun — Rediscovered in 1922, it remains one of the most remote and least visited Maya sites. Located 44 km (27 miles) south-south-east of Calakmul, and 65 km (40 miles) north of Ti ...

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Lost city, Lost city - Africa, Lost city - Far East Asia, Lost city - Southeast Asia, Lost city - Central Asia, Lost city - Western Asia, Lost city - South America, Lost city - Inca cities, Lost city - Other, Lost city - North America, Lost city - Maya cities, Lost city - Olmec cities, Lost city - Lost cities in the United States, Lost city - Lost cities in Canada, Lost city - Others, Lost city - Europe

Read more here: » Lost city: Encyclopedia II - Lost city - North America