IFL Science by Ben Taub 4/19/2023
The Maya calendar is synchronized with the movement of every planet over a 45-year period.Astronomy and timekeeping were two of the Ancient Maya’s biggest loves, and new research may have finally revealed the intricate system that once connected these two pillars of Mesoamerican life. According to the study authors, the enigmatic Maya calendar can be used to track the movement of the planets across the night sky over a 45-year period, thus solving a long-standing riddle regarding the structure and function of the iconic pre-Hispanic almanac.
Unlike our relatively simple system of days, months, and years, the Maya calendar made use of a complex series of interlocking cycles, such as the 260-day sacred count known as the Tzolk’in and the 365-day secular calendar, or Haab’. These two cycles became synchronized once every 52 years, giving rise to an overall calendric period called the Calendar Round.
However, inscriptions found at various Maya sites describe a further 819-day count. Analysis of these glyphic texts has revealed that each date in this cycle was associated with one of the four cardinal points, which means it took four rounds of 819 days – or about nine years – to complete the entire series.
More:
https://www.iflscience.com/we-finally-know-how-the-maya-calendar-matches-up-with-the-planets-68528