The Calculation of the Lunar Series on Classic Maya Monuments
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6034191 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Andreas Fuls (Technische Universität Berlin, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 273-282 |
| Publication date | 2007-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Ancient Mesoamerica (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0956-5361 • E-ISSN: 1469-1787 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0956536107000168 |
| OpenAlex | W2128101609 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 7 |
Archaeological and historical evidence clearly shows that the Lunar Series of mythical dates were calculated backward—that is, they were often determined from the date on which the monument was erected using a specific formula to calculate the age of the moon. In this article, I present a high-precision adjustment technique that confirms the “Palenque formula” using Lunar Series data from recent excavations. I show that the Palenque formula was also used at Tikal on 9.16.15.0.0 to backward calculate the Lunar Series of 5.0.0.0.0 12 Ahaw 3 Sak. At Coba, the backward calculation of the Lunar Series of the Era base date used a less precise 29.5-day lunar month. I also discuss the relationship between rulers of specific sites and the lunar-month count at those sites, finding that there was no “Period of Uniformity” in lunar calculation, as proposed by John Teeple (1930). Although a uniform six-month count was used during the reign of several rulers, in many cases the month count changed after a new ruler came to throne. I propose a month count related to a cycle of eight tropical years for the Lunar Series of K'inich Yo'nal Ahk I and Yo'nal Ahk III at the site of Piedras Negras
Archaeology · Astronomy · Maya · Physics · Reign · Ruler · Throne · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · History · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Geology · Paleontology
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |