What is Maya calendar?
[[File:Maya Calendar by Matthew Bisanz.JPG|thumb|Maya Calendar by Matthew Bisanz]] The '''Maya calendar''' is a system of [[calendar]]s and [[almanac]]s used in the [[Maya civilization]] of pre-Columbian [[Mesoamerica]], and in some modern Maya communities in highland [[Guatemala]]. It is similar to calendars employed by other earlier Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the [[Zapotec civilisation|Zapotec]] and [[Olmec]], and contemporary or later ones such as the [[Mixtec]] and [[Aztec]] calendars. Although the Mesoamerican calendar did not originate with the Maya, their subsequent extensions and refinements of it were the most sophisticated. Along with those of the Aztecs, the Maya calendars are the best-documented and most completely understood. == Types == There are three main Maya calendars: the 260 day ritual calendar called ''Tzolk'in'', the 365 day ''Haab''', and the ''Long Count''. Approximately 52 [[years]] pass before the Haab and Tzolkin calendars converge and are back in the same alignment. This is called the Calendar round. The Tzolk'in is still in use today by the Ixil, Kek'chi and [[Quiché Department|Quiche]] peoples of the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] highlands. Here is an example of a Maya calendar date: 12.18.16.2.6, 3 Cimi 4 Zotz. The “12.18.16.2.6” is the Long Count. Going from right to left, the units are: kin (1 day), uinal (20 kin = 20 days), tun (18 uinal = 360 days), katun (20 tun = approximately 20 years), baktun (20 katun =394 years). The Long Count was used to track periods of time longer than the 52 years of the Calendar Round. The mythical starting date of the current creation was August 11, 3114 BCE (Gregorian). “3 Cimi” is the Tzolkin date. The Tzolkin date is a combination of thirteen days numbered one-thirteen and twenty day-names. “4 Zotz” is the Haab' date. The Haab' year contains 18 months (each named) with 20 days each. The number before the word is the day of that month. The Maya then added five days to the calendar after the last month, Cumku, ends, in order to make the ye