when does the mayan calendar end?
103573
There are many Mayan calendars. I'd guess you're talking about the Long Count, which turns to 13.00.00.00.00 on the winter solstice of 2012 (12-21-2012, not 12-12 as the other person incorrected said above).\nIt's not that it "ends"--its a CYCLE ending, a grand cycle of something like 26,000 years.\nWhat happens on that date is the sun comes up through the womb of the universe (a dark area in the center of the milky way) and is "reborn."\nAnother calendar cycle of the Mayans just "ended" on Feb 16.  That is the 260 day sacred calendar called the Tzolkin.\nFor my info, contact me through my email or my blog, below.  I've literally written a book on this subject.
667581
Offical Beginning is June 21st, Offical end September 21st
513904
It is NOT the end of their "time records" --their Long Count calendar is rolling over from 12 Baktuns to 13 Baktuns, not unlike our calendar going from 1999 to 2000, except that a Baktun is 400 years long.\n\nOn the date 13.00.00.00.00, which is 12-21-2012, this is what WILL happen (there's no "expect" about it): There will be an astrological alignment between the sun and the dark area of the Milky Way at dawn.  This alignment will not take place again for thousands of years.  The Maya believed that the dark area of the Milky Way was the birth canal of the universe so therefore, when the sun came up out of the dark area, it was being reborn.  \n\nA lot of people have interpreted that to mean that it's the end of the world.  Actually it's the beginning of a new one.  This world's already dead--that's why it's so awful right now.\n\n\nRead "Maya Cosmogenesis 2012" by John Major Jenkins for a lot more on this subject. Read my 2012 article on my Jaguar Nights blog for other information on that day.
234051
There is a galactic alignment happening on December 21, 2012.   Due to precession of the equinoxes, on that day, the sun will appear to come up through the dark area in the center of the Milky Way. The ancient Maya believed that that spot was the center of the universe (and it's pretty close) and considered it the womb of the universe. So when the sun appears to come out of that spot, the sun is being born again. It's a new world. It's not that this world is ending (actually, it's already over), but the new world begins on that day.\nThe date on the Mayan Long Count calendar that day is 13.00.00.00.00 4 Ahau 3 Kankin.\nJohn Major Jenkins wrote an excellent book on the subject called Mayan Cosmogenesis 2012.\nI have a site and a couple of blogs on the Mayan and Aztec calendar and I've written a book called Jaguar Nights (unpublished) on the subject.
936639
The end of the 13th b'ak'tun is conjectured to have been of great significance to the Maya, but does not necessarily mark the end of the world according to their beliefs, but a new beginning or time of re-birth. According to the Popol Vuh, a book compiling details of creation accounts known to the Quiché Maya of the colonial-era highlands, we are living in the fourth world. The Popol Vuh describes the first three creations that the gods failed in making and the creation of the successful fourth world where men were placed. The Maya believed that the fourth world would end in catastrophe and the fifth and final world would be created that would signal the end of mankind.\n\nThe last creation ended on a long count of 13.0.0.0.0. Another 13.0.0.0.0 will occur on December 21, 2012, and it has been discussed in many New Age articles and books that this will be the end of this creation or something else entirely. However, the Maya abbreviated their long counts to just the last five vigesimal places. There were an infinite number of larger units that were usually not shown. When the larger units were shown (notably on a monument from Coba), the end of the last creation is expressed as 13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0, where the units are obviously supposed to be 13s in all larger places. In this age we are only approaching 0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.13.0.0.0.0, and the larger places are nowhere near the 13s that would match the end of the last creation. (Schele and Friedel 1990: 430)\n\nThis is confirmed by a date from Palenque, which projects forward in time to 1.0.0.0.0.0, which will occur on October 13, 4772 (a Friday). The Classic Period Maya likely did not believe that the end of this age would occur in 2012. According to the Maya, there will be a baktun ending in 2012, a significant event being the end of a 13th 400 year period, but not the end of the world.\n\nclick here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_calendar
619610
Here you go:):)\n\n* Canadian Museum of Civilization: Mystery of the Maya  Open this result in new window\n      Information about the Mayan civilization, culture, and the IMAX film, from a 1995 exhibit at the museum.\n      www.civilization.ca/civil/maya/mminteng.html\n    * Maya Astronomy Page, The Open this result in new window\n      Covers Mayan beliefs and their contributions to mathematics, calendar system, and writing, as well as astronomy.\n      www.michielb.nl/maya/astro.html\n    * Mundo Maya Open this result in new window\n      Online magazine presents articles about Mayan culture and arts.\n      www.mayadiscovery.com\n    * Maya Adventure - Science Museum of Minnesota Open this result in new window\n      Interactive exhibit that highlights science activities and information related to ancient and modern Maya culture.\n      www.smm.org/sln/ma\n    * Maya Civilization - Past and Present Open this result in new window\n      Covers culture, language and numbers; also has maps, links to other related sites, and suggestions on Maya-related curriculum for middle-school students.\n      www.kstrom.net/isk/maya/maya.html\n    * Ancient Mayan Directory by History Link 101 Open this result in new window\n      Categorized in five areas: art, daily life, maps, pictures, and research.\n      www.historylink101.com/1/mayan/ancient_mayan.htm\n    * Crystalinks.com: Mayan Indians Open this result in new window\n      Describes Mayan art and architecture, calendar, mythology, writing, and other cultural aspects.\n      www.crystalinks.com/mayan.html\n    * Mayan Mathematical System Open this result in new window\n      Describes how the Mayan mathematical system worked with pictures and examples.\n      www.cancunsteve.com/mayan.htm\n    * Civilizations in America: The Mayas Open this result in new window\n      History, economy, society, and religion of the Mayan civilization.\n      www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CIVAMRCA/MAYAS.HTM\n    * Maya Indian Open this result in new window\n      Information and resources on the Mayan Civilization.\n      www.mayaindian.com\n    * Mayas, The Open this result in new window\n      Includes folklore and history.\n      www.indians.org/welker/mayamenu.htm\n    * Mayan Epigraphic Database Project Open this result in new window\n      Consists of a relational database of glyphs ("gnumbers"), images, phonetic values ("pvalues"), and semantic values ("svalues"), and the beginning of an archive of digitally transcribed Mayan texts.\n      www.jefferson.village.virginia.edu/med\n    * Catholic Encyclopedia: Maya Indians Open this result in new window\n      Details the history and culture of the Maya civilization.\n      www.newadvent.org/cathen/10082b.htm\n    * Mayan Temple, The Open this result in new window\n      Links and information on the Mayan culture.\n      www.ruf.rice.edu/~jchance/maya.html\n    * Significance of Cuff Design of Mayan Lords Open this result in new window\n      www.fluffycat.com/maya/maya.html
646825
It depends on which calendar you are using, and if you calculate in the adjustments for variations in earth's rotational speed.\n\nIn my world it's Friday May 26, 2006 at approx 1:10 PM\n\nand I'm not sure.
1125866
I am writing this from personal knowledge and research--not cut and pasting it from some other site.\nThere are many different Mayan calendars, but the one you are talking about is the "Long Count" which doesn't end, as popularly thought, on 12-21-2012 (not 12-12-2012).  What happens is on that date the calendar rolls over from 12 Baktuns to 13 Baktuns (a Baktun is about 400 years long).  So technically the 12th Baktun ends 12-20-2012.\nOn 12-21-2012, there is also a grand astronomical alignment between the sun, the horizon and the milky way at dawn.  The sun will rise against the dark area of the milky way which the Maya thought of as the birth canal of the universe.  Actually that area is very close to the center of the galaxy (where stars are born).  When the sun comes out of the birth canal...it's (re)born, signifying the start of a new world age.  \nThis does NOT mean our old world ends at that moment. In fact it's already over and has been for years.\nRead "Maya Cosmogenesis 2012" by John Major Jenkins for a lot more on this subject. Read my 2012 article on my Jaguar Nights blog or my regular website for other information on that day.
460021
It's the Mayan calendar, not the Aztec. And it doesn't end. It simply POINTS very strongly at a certain day: Dec 21, 2012. That day in the Long Count (the name of that particular calendar) is 13.00.00.00.00. The next day is \n13.00.00.00.01. No endings.\nWhat happens on that day is simply this: it's a grand astronomical alignment that takes 26,000 years to repeat (due to precession of the equinoxes). On that morning, which is the winter solstice, the sun rises against the background of the Milky Way, in particular a dark area toward its center. The Maya thought that dark spot was the birth canal of the universe. (Actually it's very close to the center of our galaxy). So what happens when the sun comes out a birth canal? It's REBORN. That's what it's about. Not endings. This world is already dead and we're in the birth pangs of that new world coming in.\nRead Maya Cosmogenesis 2012 by John Major Jenkins for more on this subject.
1055543
when the world comes to an end?
582008
Damn- I just erased my entire answer. So short version: Mayans say 2012, End of Days is 2010, Nostradamus says 3000 something. Planet isn't going anywhere unless someone (*cough cough* Bush) does something really stupid. Society can't last the way it is "somethings gotta give" All this crap that is happening is just the planets way of trying to get our attention. If pop. continues to grow, some kind of natural pop. control will break out (aka. Avian Flu, Smallpox) or more likely one will be released as a bio. weapon.  I swear my first answer was better.
306675
I don't know what time the world is supposed to end on Dec. 21, 2012, according to the Mayan calendar.  However, there appears to be some controversy about this signaling the end of the world:\n\n"The end of the 13th baktun is conjectured to have been of great significance to the Maya, but does not mark the end of the world. According to the Popol Vuh, a sacred book of the Maya, we are living in the fourth world. The Popol Vuh describes the first three creations that the gods failed in making and the creation of the successful fourth world where men were placed. The Maya believed that the fourth world would end in catastrophe and the fifth and final world would be created that would signal the end of mankind."\n\nThe last creation ended on a long count of 13.0.0.0.0. Another 13.0.0.0.0 will occur on December 21, 2012, and it has been discussed in many New Age articles and books that this will be the end of this creation or something else entirely. However, the Maya abbreviated their long counts to just the last five vigesimal places. There were an infinitely larger number of units that were usually not shown. When the larger units were shown (notably on a monument from Coba), the end of the last creation is expressed as 13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0, where the units are obviously supposed to be 13s in all larger places. In this age we are only approaching 0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.13.0.0.0.0, and the larger places are nowhere near the 13s that would match the end of the last creation. (Schele and Friedel 1990: 430)\n\nThis is confirmed by a date from Palenque, which projects forward in time to 1.0.0.0.0.0, which will occur on 13 October, 4772. The Classic Period Maya obviously did not believe that the end of this age would occur in 2012. According to the Maya, there will be a baktun ending in 2012, a significant event being the end of a 13th 400 year period, but not the end of the world.
212852
It doesn't end.  The long count date is 13.00.00.00.00 and the next day is 13.00.00.00.01.  It just POINTS at that date, which is the winter solstice of 2012.  But it's not when the "winter solstice begins"--the solstices (like the equinoxes) are simply points in time. \nRead the book _Maya Cosmogenesis 2012_ by John Major Jenkins for a complete treatment of what's going on with this so-called "end date."\nThe basics: \nDue to precession of the equinoxes, on the morning of 12-21-2012, the sun will come up against the background of a dark spot within the Milky Way. The ancients considered this spot the birth canal of the universe. (In fact it is very close to the center of our galaxy.)  So what happens when the sun comes out the birth canal? It's being born (reborn).  That's what the date points to: the rebirth of the sun.  The sun symbolizes our world.  So we'll have a new world.\nI have a website and 2 blogs about the MesoAmerican calendar system and am writing a book on it.
439541
2012 is six years away. And on the morning of the winter solstice (12-21-2012) there will be a once-in-26,000-years astronomical alignment between the sun and the milky way.  This has caused all sorts of conspiracy theories about the world "ending" and the Mayan Long Count calendar "ending" but they are all misunderstandings.  \nThe Long Count doesn't end. It simply POINTS very strongly at a certain day: Dec 21, 2012. That day in the Long Count (the name of that particular calendar) is 13.00.00.00.00. The next day is 13.00.00.00.01. No endings.\nWhat happens on that day is simply this: it's a grand astronomical alignment that takes 26,000 years to repeat (due to precession of the equinoxes). On that morning, which is the winter solstice, the sun rises against the background of the Milky Way, in particular a dark area toward its center. The Maya thought that dark spot was the birth canal of the universe. (Actually it's very close to the center of our galaxy). So what happens when the sun comes out a birth canal? It's REBORN. That's what it's about. Not endings. This world is already dead and we're in the birth pangs of that new world coming in.\nRead Maya Cosmogenesis 2012 by John Major Jenkins for more on this subject.
1020172
The Mayan calendar ends in December of 2012, and according to Mayan prophecy, the objects of technology will turn against the human race and destroy the world.\n\nWhat are those objects of technology?  Who knows?  But I suspect we have a few lying around that will do the job.
19761
THis is an exceprt from wikipedia on the decline of mayan civilization\n\n"In the 8th and 9th centuries CE Classic Maya culture went into decline, with most of the cities of the central lowlands abandoned. Warfare, ecological depletion of croplands, and drought or some combination of those factors are usually suggested as reasons for the decline. There is archaeological evidence of warfare, famine, and revolt against the elite at various central lowlands sites. However, there is no single cause universally accepted for their decline.\n\nThe Maya cities of the northern lowlands in Yucatan continued to flourish for centuries more; some of the important sites in this era were Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Edzná, and Coba. After the decline of the ruling dynasties of Chichen and Uxmal, Mayapan ruled all of Yucatan until a revolt in 1450; the area then devolved to city states until the Spanish Conquest.\n\nThe Itza Maya, Kowoj and Yalain groups of Central Peten survived the "Classic Period Collapse" in small numbers and by 1250 CE reconstituted themselves to form competing polities. The Itza kingdom had its capital at Noj Peten, an archaeological site thought to underlay modern day Flores, Guatemala. It ruled over a polity extending across the Peten Lakes region, encompassing the community of Eckixil on Lake Quexil. These sites and this region were inhabited continuously by independent Maya until after the final Spanish Conquest of 1697 CE.\n\nPost-Classic Maya states also continued to thrive in the southern highlands. One of the Maya kingdoms in this area, the Quiché, is responsible for the best-known Maya work of historiography and mythology, the Popol Vuh.\n\nThe Spanish started their conquest of the Maya lands in the 1520s. Some Maya states offered long fierce resistance; the last Maya state, the Itza kingdom, was not subdued by Spanish authorities until 1697".
483741
The Mayans, about 2000 years before the Romans. \nThe Mayan year is called a Haab and is 365 days, which is also represented by the 91 step pyrimids (91steps x 4 sides = 364 + the top = 365)