Maya Astronomical Observations and the Agricultural Cycle in the Postclassic Madrid Codex

Bibliographic Data

ID6033368
AuthorsSusan Milbrath (Florida Museum of Natural History, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume28
Issue2
Pages489-505
Publication date2017-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAncient Mesoamerica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0956-5361 • E-ISSN: 1469-1787
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0956536117000189
OpenAlexW2773026430
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited28

Research presented here demonstrates that an unusual almanac in the Madrid Codex (pages 12–18) integrates observations of the Venus cycle with eclipse events in the context of the agricultural year. Imagery in the 260-day almanac represents eclipse glyphs associated with Tzolkin dates that coordinate with eclipses visible in Yucatan during the fifteenth century, indicating the almanac dates to the Late Postclassic. The almanac also depicts seasonal events in the context of a repeating pattern of paired solar eclipses associated with observations of Venus as the evening star. Quetzalcoatl-Kukulcan's counterpart in the Madrid almanac is the Chicchan serpent, who plays the role of Venus in a sequence showing a fertile aspect of the planet linked with the 260-day agricultural cycle and the Pleiades. Clearly, Venus positions and eclipse events were closely watched in relation to the planting cycle, reflecting a form of “agro-astronomy” that we are only now beginning to understand

Archaeology · Astrobiology · Astronomy · Eclipse · Geography · Physics · Pleiades · Solar eclipse · Venus · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Historical and Architectural Studies · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology

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