Art 263 Option #2

Due: October 4, 2018

Value:   Understanding the Aztec and Mayan world view and beliefs a little better by exploring how their calendar systems were integrated into
 the spiritual beliefs and daily life of the people.  You will be using your own birthdate as a starting point for this exploration.

Instructions:

Complete the following excerise, making certain that your answers (except for the drawings of the day signs) are typed.

First:      Visit the "Aztec Calendar" website provided on your course web page.  Read "Introduction to the Aztec Calendar."   Explain briefly (in a paragraph) how the Aztecs' two coordinating calendars "worked".

Next:     Using the converter provided at the bottom of the website's opening page, determine what your birthdate is in the Aztec Tonalpohualli.

Then:      Explore this date and its significance in the calendar.  Draw your birthdate (DO NOT SIMPLY PRINT IT OUT--you learn by making the forms yourself).  Using the website link provided in  the site for information, explain the meanings associated with the symbol and number that make up your day sign.  To which deity is your day sign dedicated?  What are some of the  characteristics of  this deity?  What are the meanings associated with your solar year?  Your trecena?  Which deities protect/rule your solar year and trecena? DO NOT SIMPLY COPY STRAIGHT FROM THE WEBSITE--THAT, OF COURSE, WOULD BE PLAGIARISM. Digest what you are reading and add your own reactions/responses to what you have learned.

Then:       Go to this Mayan calendar conversion website to find your birthday in the Mayan Tzolkin and Haab calendars: https://stevemorse.org/jcal/mayan.htm. You will now have your day (Tzolkin) and month sign (HAAB).You can read more about the Mayan calendars here: https://maya.nmai.si.edu/calendar/calendar-system

You can use this website to see your Mayan day sign glyph and a basic explantion of its meaning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzolk%27in

You can use this website to learn about the significance of your month: http://mayan-calendar.com/ancient_haab.html

What does your day and your month signs mean? 

Finally:    What was the most interesting thing you learned from this excericise? How does the Aztec and Mayan understanding of the significance of  particular days compare with your own culture?