The Mayan Calendar - The Calendar Issue

Video activity – 1.51 min.

The Maya inhabited southeast Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Their civilization reached its height around A.D. 300-900 and then disappeared misteriously. They were noted for their architecture, their mathematics and calendar, and their hieroglyphic writing system. The Mayan Calendar consists of three calendars working together like 3 wheels. Time as a concept is cyclical and a set number of days must occur before a new cycle can begin. The last cycle ends in December 2012. This has been often interpreted as the end of the world.

Part 1: 

Play the video clip and answer whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE.

1. The calendar was a source of divination.

2. Only the ruling elite knew how the calendar worked.

3. 5000 years ago was the mytical beginning.

4. The sun, moon and venus movements originated cycles of time.  

5. The calendar round is formed by 3 years.

6. Once every 82 years a specif combination of these 2 cycles occur.

7. Other cultures in the area share a similar round calendar.

Part 2: 

Watch the clip again and complete the chart with the numbers missing:

Numbers	Sacred Year	Vague Year
Total days
Months
Days in a month
Additional features

Answers here!