MAYAN CULTURE AND ASTRONOMY

Mayan Culture and Astronomy



Mayan Culture and Astronomy

Introduction

The best description of the extensive knowledge of the Maya in the field of astronomy, and the wonder of their civilization cannot be better described than in the story of Augusto Monterroso called the Eclipse. When Fray Bartolome felt lost Arrazola agreed that nothing could save him. The Mighty Jungle of Guatemala had taken, ruthless, final. He wanted to die, without any hope, isolated, with thoughts fixed on the distant Spain, particularly in the convent of the thorns, where Charles V condescend to come down from his eminence to say he trusted the religious zeal of his redemptive work. When he awoke he found himself surrounded by a group of indigenous impassive face he was about to sacrifice before an altar, an altar that Bartolome it seemed like the bed they rest, at last, their fears, and their destination in itself. Three years in the country had given him medium-native language proficiency. He tried something. He said some words that were understood. Then he blossomed into an idea that was worthy of his talent and his universal culture of their hard knowledge of Aristotle. He remembered that day was expected to total solar eclipse. And provided in the most intimate, make use of that knowledge to deceive their oppressors and save your life (Edward, 1996).

Discussion

In the discussion, we will be discussing the main beliefs of astronomy in Mayan culture.

Picture of the Castle

The amazing Mayan civilization remains a mystery. But a mystery in which Western civilization has a lot of guilt. During the conquest, intolerance, misunderstanding and arrogance of conquerors and missionaries almost finished with all the written knowledge of this fabulous town. Far from that belief that Indians are as barbarians who did not invent writing the Maya codices or books was unfortunately in a fit of religious fanaticism were burned by the evangelists. The codices that have survived almost be counted on the fingers, and fortunately did not end the religious zeal with the many stone steles.

The Mayan civilization we can place between 1000 BC and 1542 AD they occupied a geographic area stretching from the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico to Honduras, Central America, although the area of cultural influence was much more extensive. Some findings in caves in Central America dating allow evidence of their culture in times as remote as the year 2400 BC, although the most interesting phase, its peak or Classic Period occurred 250 to 900 AD.

Mathematics

For a while, all we knew of the Maya was the fantastic buildings which allowed us to feel. Also, the little was known of his writing allowed us to delve into the mathematical skill they possessed. Their numbering system was perhaps the most effective and concise statement of its time. Instead of our familiar decimal they employed a very effective with which they could register large numbers and perform calculations with greater ease than the Europeans of his time. The system, although only used base twenty two ...