How to Create a Mayan Calendar
The Mayans used a 365 day calendar called Haab to keep watch on the year's cycle. The year is called the Vague Year because the calendar has only 365 full days, compared to the 365.2420 days in the astronomical year. The Mayans used the calendar to plan farming and festivities.
1 Make a round calendar
Make a round calendar. With a pencil, draw a circle on the card stock large enough to fit 365 triangle shaped wedges for days around the edge. Beginning with one at the top, draw 365 triangles for wedges along the inner rim of the outer edge. Using the scissors, cut out around the whole circle. Then, patiently cut out each wedge.
2 Place the days
Place the days, called Kin, around the calendar. Write in black ink each day in the 20 day cycle. The days proceed in an order: Inix, Ik, Akbal, Kan, Chicchan, Cimi, Manik, Lamat, Maluc, Oc, Chuen, Eb, Ben, Ix, Men, Cib, Caben, Etznab, Cauac, Ahau. Write Inix in the top wedge and proceed around the calendar to your right, placing a day on each wedge.
3 Draw the glyphs for each day
Draw the glyphs for each day. Each day in the 20 day cycle has a glyph. Look the glyphs up in the reference. Under each wedge with a day name, draw the day's glyph in black ink.
4 Match
Match a corresponding 13 day number cycle to the days. Begining at the first Inix at the top, write the symbol for 0 under the glyph for Inix. Proceed around the calendar, writing a symbol in dots and bars until you reach the symbol for 12. Begin again at 0. Continue writing numbers in a 13 number sequence until the full circle is complete.
5 Inside the days
Inside the days, draw wedge sections for the 19 months called Uinal. Draw the first section from the place under Inix through the place under Ahau. Make enough space for month names and glyphs. The last month, called Uayeb, has only 5 months.
6 Name each month around the calendar
Name each month around the calendar. The months proceed in a 19 month cycle: Pop, Uo, Zip, Zotz, Zec, Xul, Yaxhin, Mol, Chen, Yax, Zac, Ceh, Mac, Kankin, Muan, Pax, Kayas, Kumku and Uayeb. Begin with Pop in the top section. Proceeding to your right, write the month name in each section.
7 Draw the glyphs for each month
Draw the glyphs for each month. Place the glyph for Pop in the first section. Then, draw a glyph for each of the 19 months.
8 Number the months
Number the months. First, inside the circle with the month names, draw sections matching the month name sections. Then, using the reference book to look up symbols, write the number symbols for each month, from 0 to 19. The last sequence for the month Uayeb has only 5 number symbols, 0 to 4.
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