Venus, Planets, and Stars

The Maya knew about Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter and tracked their movements. They determined that a year of Venus relative to Earth was 584 days long. Modern science determined it at 583.92 days.
Venus was associated with war. The Maya arranged battles to coincide with the movements of Venus.
The stars were less significant to the Maya. They used the stars to predict when seasons would come and go.

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The ancient Maya were devoted astronomers

The Maya believed they could use the stars, moon, and planets to know the will of the gods.

In the early 9th century CE, the Maya day keepers created astronomical tables that tracked the course of the celestial bodies. The tables are found on the walls of a unique structur...

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Maya and the Sky

The Maya believed the Earth was fixed and central and that the sun, moon, stars and planets were gods that travelled between the Earth, the underworld and other celestial places.

They believed the gods were closely involved with humans and therefore planned their movements to coincide with ...

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The Sun and Moon in Maya Mythology

The Mayan sun god was Kinich Ahau, one of the creator gods more powerful than the Mayan pantheon. During the day, Kinich Ahau would shine in the sky, and at night, transform himself into a jaguar and pass through the underworld.

The moon was associated with a maiden, an old woman, and a rab...

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Astronomy, Architecture and the Calendar

Mayan buildings were often laid out in accordance with astronomy. Temples and pyramids were designed so that the sun, moon, stars, and planets would be visible from the top or through specific windows at certain times of the year.

The Mayan calendar was ass...

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