Latino

The earliest evidence of the Mayan calendar was found inside the pyramids of Guatemala

The figure representing a day known as “7 Deer” on fresco fragments dating from the third century BC found inside the ruins of a pyramid in Guatemala marks the use of the calendar. The earliest known Maya, one of the famous achievements of this ancient culture.

The fragments were found at the San Bartolo archaeological site in the jungles of northern Guatemala, which became famous for the 2001 discovery of a burial chamber with its colorful and intricate murals. Dating back to around 100 BC depicts Mayan ritual and mythological scenes, researchers said Wednesday.

Pieces inscribed with the inscription “7 Deer” were unearthed inside the same Las Pinturas pyramid, whose later murals are still intact. As was the case with this structure, the Mayans often built what were initially modestly sized temples, then built increasingly larger versions on top of earlier temples. This pyramid ended up being about 100 feet (30 meters) high.

Inscriptions found on murals for “7 Deer”, one of the 260 named days of the calendar, include the ancient Mayan script for the number seven on the outline of a deer’s head.

University of Texas professor of Mesoamerican art and writing David Stuart, lead author of the study published in the journal Scientific advancedescribes the fragments as “two small pieces of white plaster that fit in your hand, once attached to a stone wall.”

“The wall was intentionally destroyed by the ancient Maya when they were rebuilding their ritual space – it eventually evolved into a pyramid. The two pieces match and feature black painted calligraphy, opening with the date ‘7 Deer.’ The rest is hard to read,” added Stuart.

“The paintings from this period are all badly fragmented, unlike any of the paintings in the later, more famous room,” says Stuart.

To date, the earliest definite Mayan calendar notation dates to the first century BC.

The calendar, derived from observations of the movements of the sun, moon, and planets, is based on a named ceremonial cycle of 260 days. The 260-day calendar, known as the tzolk’in, was one of several interrelated Mayan time systems that also included a 365-day solar year, a larger system known as ” Long Count” and the lunar system.

The calendar is one of the achievements of a culture that also developed a writing system consisting of 800 glyphs, with the earliest examples also from San Bartolo. The Maya built temples, pyramids, palaces and observatories and engaged in sophisticated farming without the use of metal tools or wheels.

San Bartolo was a regional center during the Early Mayan period, which lasted from about 400 BC to 250 AD. This era laid the groundwork for the flourishing of Mayan culture during the subsequent Classical period, known for cities including Tikal in Guatemala, Palenque in Mexico, and Copan in Honduras.

NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale and NASA research scientist Dr. William Saturno
NASA Associate Administrator Shana Dale and NASA research scientist Dr. William Saturno investigate the San Bartolo Maya archaeological site in Peten, Guatemala on December 11, 2007.Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images

Some 7,000 pieces of frescoes – some as small as a fingernail and others as long as 8 x 16 inches (20 x 40 cm) – have been found at San Bartolo, the equivalent of the anthropology professor and study co-author. save Heather Hurst. Skidmore College in New York State is known as the “giant jigsaw puzzle”.

The “7 Deer” and other symbols found on 11 pieces of frescoes at San Bartolo examined in the study suggest the artistic and writing conventions that had matured in the area at the time, suggesting a history of has been used for many years.

“Other sites will likely find other examples, maybe even earlier examples,” Hurst said.

“Secondly, the scribbling tradition embodied in these 11 pieces is varied, expressive, the technology of paint preparation and the fluidity of calligraphy very impressive – this is a long tradition of writing and art. life,” Hurst added.

Some Maya communities today still use the ancient calendar.

“This calendar system has been around for at least 2,200 years, perpetuated by the Mayans during a time of amazing change, stress, and tragedy,” says Stuart.

Follow NBC Latino above Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You are reading the article The earliest evidence of the Mayan calendar was found inside the pyramids of Guatemala

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here

Back to top button