The Maya Calendar: Understanding the Sophisticated Math of Time
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To the ancient Maya, time was not a straight line moving from the past into the future; it was a series of interlocking cycles, some short and some spanning millions of years. Their ability to track these cycles required a mathematical system far more advanced than what was being used in Europe at the same time. By combining a vigesimal (base-20) system with the concept of zero , the Maya created a calendar so accurate that it could predict solar eclipses and the movements of Venus with a precis