Why did Mayans think the world will end on Dec 23, 2012?

Answer 1

From historical sources, non is richer in detail than the Popol Vuh, a 15th century document written in the Kiche Maya dialect but in Latin characters, by three Maya Shaman/Scribes who had been recently and forcibly converted to Catholicism. I recommend the “The Popol Vuh the Definitive Edition” by Dennis Tedlock. These scribes begin this text by saying to the effect that not all will be reveled here and much knowledge will remain hidden from view. They go on to describe the three previous creations (presumably 13 Baktun periods) in terms of the gods attempting to create human beings. These earlier attempts ended in failure and with each failure the earth was cleansed for the next attempt by flood, fire, and earthquake respectively.

Unfortunately, no mention is made in the Popol Vuh about what will happen at the end of our current Maya era on Dec. 21 (or 23), 2012.

John Major Jenkins observation that the rising sun on the end date is near the center of the bulge of the Milky Way is interesting to me as no other obvious planetary alignment, astronomical event, or calendrical conjunction has been proposed for this date . Mr. Jenkins does his research before he writes and his observations on the importance of the zenith passage of the sun in the Tropics are cutting edge.

What the Myans thought about (actually December 21st) was that Quetzalquatal was going to return and bring a reign of blood upon the earth, ending all life.

Believe what you want, just don't say Betelgeuse three times in a row. Michael Keaton in a funky stripped suit and bad pancake makeup will appear in your living room and mess with your stuff...

Answer 2

they didn't think it would end but it is just when their calendar ends, to me it is just very weird that they have a calendar that goes so far and then just stops, and the date is really December 21 2012 if you also look up astronomy about 14 days earlier from this day the sun will be aligned with something else in the galaxy which could be another reason why people think the world is going to end on this date

Answer 3

21 December 2012 - the filling of the 13th and final baktun of the Maya Long Count. End of time.

You can give it as much credence as any other religious utterance... or you can assume Betelgeuse will go supernova and cook the Earth with radiation, and take Christmas early that year.

Answer 4

They didn't...! December 23, 2012 is nothing more than the end of one of several Mayan calendars. It took nonsense merchants to conjure up this calendar-end-date to represent the end of the world.

Answer 5

y2k was the last date in Bil Gates computers. that was suppossed to be the end of the world. until someone just added more digits so computers can count higher. same with the mayans.

Answer 6

Life, consciousness never dies - in the body or out of it. Perhaps it means a transformation of human consciousness to a higher level. It does not mean that we all die! We know that time is a relative affair. That has been well proven in dream labs. You may dream for five minutes in REM sleep and during that time the brain processes events that in waking reality would take an hour. Different levels of consciousness..... different perceptions of time and logic.

Answer 7

They didn't. They just ran out of room to carve their calender on that rock. The part about "continued on next rock" was broken off and crumbled to dust. And the next rock was later used to make somebodies back kitchen wall.

Answer 8

It also has an astrological basis.

Answer 9

because its true were all gonna die when that day comes