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Scientific Revolution Meso America
Scientific Revolution Meso America
Normal Science:
Mayan Beliefs
The Mayan needed a more
accurate and precise tracking of
date and time along with the
Observed temples. The need of Mayan to
Anomalies convert their observation to
numerology lead way to a new
scientific revolution.
Normal Science:
Mayan Beliefs
Based on two overlapping annual
cycles; Sacred and Secular
Calendar
Day was assigned four pieces of
identifying information: day
number and day name (sacred
calendar) and day number and
month name (secular calendar)
52 years counted as a single
interval. Calendar reset after each
interval
a priest devised another system to
fix events in an absolute
chronology
Identified each day by counting
forward from a fixed date in the
distant past
Grouped days into sets, or cycles;
baktun (144,000 days), k’atun
(7,200 days), tun (360 days), uinal
or winal (20 days) and kin (one
day)
Observed
Anomalies
Revolutionary Science:
Mayan Calendars
Normal Science:
Mayan Beliefs
Folding books written by Mayan
priest in their hieroglyphic script.
Named after the cities where they
eventually settled
Products of professional scribes
working under the patronage of
god The Dresden codex is generally
paper was made from fig tree considered the most important of
Mainly consists of almanacs and the few that survive
horoscopes, tables
Their observation of heavenly
bodies were not acceptable for the
Spanish conquistadors and catholic
Observed priest. At the time of the Spanish
conquest, the Maya had many
Anomalies
books. They destroyed them and
burned it whenever they found
them because it opposes the
belief of catholic priest.
Normal Science:
Mayan Codices
Bishop Diego de Landa in July 1562:
“We found a large number of books in these characters
and, as they contained nothing in which were not to be
seen as superstition and lies of the devil, we burned
them all, which they regretted to an amazing degree,
and which caused them much affliction.”
Mayans also calculated the
The Mayan accurately calculated synodic periods of Mars as 780
times when the sun would rise days (actual = 779.936 days) and
and set, and determined the Mercury as 117 days (actual = 116
length of the solar year to be 365 days)
days. A tropical year is actually Mayans Astronomy through the
365.2422 days long priests’ records and codices that
The Priest-astronomers was once thought by the Spanish
determined the synodic period of as a false belief, made a scientific
Venus to be 584 days, the actual revolution as proved by the
period of 583.92 days. Modern Science
Observed
Anomalies
Revolutionary Science:
Mayan Astronomy
Normal Science:
Mayan Codices
1.What is the most important Mayan Codices that survived the Spanish
Conquest?
Answer:
The Dresden Codex
2. The Calendar round was based on two overlapping annual cycles which
are ____& ____.
Answer:
Secular and Sacred Year