Survivor 11: Guatemala - Mayan Calendar

Imagine a calendar more accurate than the Julian calendar we use today.

Imagine a calendar that not only kept track of the present, but represented important dates in the past in reference to events and actions, but also foretold the future.

And the Mayas had it - developed over time until its final, and most accurate form around 1 B.C.

The Maya calendar was based on a 20-day month with two calendar years, of differing number of days, which coincided every 52 years. The shorter year, called tzolk'in, was the 260-day Sacred Round. The longer year haab, was the 365-day Vague Year.

The years between the meeting of the calendars was a bundle, the equivalent of the modern century. The meeting was a fearful time, because it might be the end of the world, or the gods might be unhappy with mankind and require satisfaction.

This calendar had two cycles, one of numbers 1-13, and the other of 20 gods who carried time across the sky, marking the hours of the day and night. The gods were Imix, Ik, Akbal, Kan, Chicchan, Cimi, Manik, Lamat, Muluc, Oc, Chuen, Eb, Ben, Ix, Men, Cib, Caban, Eiznab, Cauac, and Ahau.

A day was represented by a number and a god: 1 Imix began the year, cycling through the numbers and the gods until the last day of the year, 13 Ahau.

In this calendar, time was not linear but evolved in a somewhat spiral motion around the activities of humans and gods. It detailed important events, ceremonies past, present and future. Each single day of the 20-day month of a year consisting of 18 months had its own astrological or seasonal significance. At the end of the 18 months, there was a period of five unlucky days known as uayeb which could precipitate danger, death and bad luck.

This calendar began with 1 Pop through 19 Pop, then started with 1 Uo, cycling through the days and months until the last day of the year was 19 Cumku.

This calendar followed the solar year and indicates ceremonial days, celebrations, historical events and astronomical activities.

The Maya calendar system was extraordinarily complex, and the knowledge and interpretation of it was reserved for the priests who decided on the dates for agricualtural and sacred events. It was they who decided on the sacred reenactments of historical or mythological events.

The Long Count was based on the following units of time:

Like the earlier calendar, the Long Count foretold the future as in divination and governed a person's life from birth until death.

This lesser calendar was based on the 28-day cycle of the moon, or a woman's cycle. The calendar consists of four 7 day cycles, following the phases of the moon and was used for mathematical computations.

Without electronic means to tell time, or print calendars to mark off the 39 days of the Survivor experience in Guatemala amidst the Mayan ruins, the Survivors will count the days by the age-old custom of one mark per day.

Or perhaps they will learn the Mayan calendar, still in use today by the descendants of the ancient creators who maintain their native culture and customs.

Perhaps the Survivor contestants will learn to read the calendar dates written in stone and note the passage of time according to celestial movements of the stars and planets.

But probably not.

Most likely they will be too busy trying to Outwit, Outplay and Outlast each other to be the Sole Survivor and win the prize of one million dollars.

Be here in September to read the recaps of each Survivor episode!

f you have questions or comments about Guatemala or the upcoming Survivor show, post them on the South America for Visitors Forum. If you're not already a registered user, you'll need to register, but it is easy and free.