Intro
Astronomy and Myths in Antiquity:
All ancient cultures observed the sky and based much of their symbology and worldview on celestial mechanics. Astronomy and tradition became a united marriage throughout the history of peoples. Sky observation became intertwined with myths and traditions, as well as manifested in architecture, monuments, calendars, singing, poetry, painting, sculpture, political and social order, and books, among many other expressions. Astronomy, thus, permeated every corner of ancient cultures; in the case of Mesoamerica, the sky was the center around which everything revolved.
In the case of the Maya, they meticulously recorded the constellations, their movement over time, and their direct relationship with their calendars. These records were kept in their codices, stelae, vases, among other artifacts, and were also documented in colonial sources, myths, and ceremonies.
The Paris Codex
One of the three surviving Mayan codices is known as the Paris Codex, as it is housed in the national library of Paris. This codex, crafted on amate paper, originally consisted of 24 pages, some of which have been lost, and others completely faded due to the passage of time.
Pages 1 through 13 originally deal with a mechanism known as the "Katun Wheel" among the Maya, which has a direct relationship with the constellations. The zodiac is found on pages 23 and 24 of this codex, representing the thirteen constellations of the Mayan zodiac.
This book is a fundamental compendium for understanding celestial mechanics, the movement of planets, Earth, and the intimate relationship between humans and constellations. For this reason, we refer to it as "The Book of Mayan Constellations."
Books
"The Universe in 20 Symbols"
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This book reconstructs the tables of the zodiac and proposes a direct integration between the Mayan calendar and zodiac. Before delving into this, it takes a journey through the history of Mesoamerica, archaeoastronomy, sacred geometry, and calendars.
The objective of this text is to approach the ancient culture of Anahuac from an alternative perspective, from the grandiose to the surprising, from what was never told to what is evident.
"The Universe in 20 Symbols" synthesizes a cosmogonic model that spans from the universe to the earth, from the immeasurable to the smallest, from the cosmos to humanity and vice versa, based on the most perfect tool ever created by humans in antiquity... "the calendars of Ancient Mexico."
"The Great Book of Mayan Constellations"
The aim of this work is to demonstrate how the Maya meticulously recorded information about the constellations, tracked their movements over time, and their direct correlation with their calendars. These records were depicted in their codices, stelae, and myths such as the Popol Vuh. Additionally, this information may have been gathered from colonial sources such as the prophetic texts of the Chilam Balam, reflected in the count of years of the katuns.
About the author
Antonio Gómez Miranda
Independent ResearcherHe joined the Archaeoastronomy Seminar at ENAH (School of Anthropology and history in Mexico) in 1996.
In 2006, he was a founding member of CEACM (Center for Studies in Mesoamerican Archaeoastronomy and Calendars), where several books by independent researchers were published and two documentaries were produced.
Member of SIAC (Inter-American Society for Cultural Astronomy).
He is a founding member of the newly formed Society of Cultural Astronomy and Mesoamerican Studies (SACEM).
"The Universe in 20 Symbols" is his first book.
"The Great Book of Mayan Constellations" (2024).
He has written several articles and presented lectures on this topic.
Contact
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