Ancient Maya Calendar

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The ancient Maya kept track of time differently than how we do today. They used a calendar system which had remarkable accuracy and complexity. It was a calendar system that was utilized and expressed in many forms, including pyramid temples which acted as calenders.
The Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichén Itzá in Yucatan, Mexico was built around sometime between the years 550 to 900 AD. The earliest hieroglyphic date discovered at Chichen Itza dates to 832 AD, when the Toltec culture from Tula became politically powerful and dominated the region.
The pyramid built there has four stairways for each quarter of the year and each stairwell has 91 steps that lead to a platform at the top. This makes for a total of 365 steps/platforms, the same number of days in a calendar year. …show more content…
But that isn't all, on the Spring and Fall Equinoxes of each year, a special occurance happens with the Pyramid to mark the occasion.
During the Equinox, the Sun projects an undulating pattern of light on the northern stairway for a few hours in the late afternoon. This pattern of light is caused by the angle of the Sun and the edge of the nine steps that define the pyramid's main construction. These triangles of light link up with the massive stone carvings of snake heads at the base of the stairs, suggesting a massive serpent snaking down the

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