Fed up with stories about how the world will end on December 21, 2012, NASA released the video embedded above: Why the World Didn’t End Yesterday.
The video provides some excellent insight into the Mayan calendar, an astrological masterpiece that scientists have studied for years. Instead of worrying about the end of the world, you should take this opportunity to learn more about the Mayan culture.
Below, we’ve linked to free eBooks about Mayans (available in all major formats) to help you learn more about this amazing culture.
NASA explained the 2012 doomsday prophecy: “The story started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012 and linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012 — hence the predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012 … Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then — just as your calendar begins again on January 1 — another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.”
15 Free Books about Mayan Culture
1. Day Symbols of the Maya Year by Cyrus Thomas
2. Mayan Calendar Systems (Volume 1) – Cyrus Thomas
3. Mayan Calendar Systems (Volume 2) – Cyrus Thomas
4. Animal Figures in the Maya Codices by Alfred M. Tozzer and Glover M. Allen
5. Studies in Central American Picture-Writing by Edward Singleton Holden
6. Aids to the Study of the Maya Codices – Cyrus Thomas
7. Animal Figures in the Maya Codices by Alfred M. Tozzer and Glover M. Allen
8. Representation of Deities of the Maya Manuscripts by Paul Schellhas
10. The Mayas, the Sources of Their History by Stephen Salisbury
11. Memoranda on the Maya Calendars Used in the Books of Chilan Balam by Charles P. Bowditch
12. The Books of Chilan Balam, the Prophetic and Historic Records of the Mayas of Yucatan by Daniel G. Brinton84 downloads
13. Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican Manuscripts by Cyrus Thomas
14. Reports on the Maya Indians of Yucatan by Santiago Mendez, Antonio García y Cubas, Pedro Sanchez de Aguilar, and Francisco Hernandez50 downloads
15. Commentary Upon the Maya-Tzental Perez Codex by William Gates