Event Details
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012
SWFAS- Dr. Vail "Calendars and Cycles of Time in Prehist. Mayan Cult.
Time: 7:00 pm til 9:00 pm
Location: Bonita Springs Community Center
Description: Bolon Yokte’ K’uh: Calendars and Cycles of Time in Prehispanic Maya Cultures
Dr. Gabrielle Vail, New College of Florida
Maya concepts of time were embedded in the idea of sacred and natural cycles. These could be as small as 13 or 20 days, or as long as five millennia—the latter formed from a cycle of 13 “bak’tuns” of approximately 20 years each. This presentation explores Maya concepts of time and situates them in the natural—and supernatural—universe. Of particular interest is the idea, still current among several contemporary Maya cultures, of time being measured in terms of the footsteps of deities, with Bolon Yokte’ K’uh signifying completion, or the nine footsteps of the wooden god. How this concept relates to the completion of the 13th bak’tun, corresponding to December 21, 2012 in our calendar, will also be explored.
FPAN is posting this event as a courtesy, we will neither be hosting nor attending this event.
