Mayan Elder Tired of 2012 Queries

The World Is Not Likely to End in 2012, According to Mayan Culture - Contrary to Rampant Rumors

(AP)  Apolinario Chile Pixtun is tired of being bombarded with frantic questions about the Mayan calendar supposedly "running out" on Dec. 21, 2012. After all, it's not the end of the world.

Or is it?

Definitely not, the Mayan Indian elder insists. "I came back from England last year and, man, they had me fed up with this stuff."

It can only get worse for him. Next month Hollywood's "2012" opens in cinemas, featuring earthquakes, meteor showers and a tsunami dumping an aircraft carrier on the White House.

At Cornell University, Ann Martin, who runs the "Curious? Ask an Astronomer" Web site, says people are scared.

"It's too bad that we're getting e-mails from fourth-graders who are saying that they're too young to die," Martin said. "We had a mother of two young children who was afraid she wouldn't live to see them grow up."

Chile Pixtun, a Guatemalan, says the doomsday theories spring from Western, not Mayan ideas.

A significant time period for the Mayas does end on the date, and enthusiasts have found a series of astronomical alignments they say coincide in 2012, including one that happens roughly only once every 25,800 years.

But most archaeologists, astronomers and Maya say the only thing likely to hit Earth is a meteor shower of New Age philosophy, pop astronomy, Internet doomsday rumors and TV specials such as one on the History Channel which mixes "predictions" from Nostradamus and the Mayas and asks: "Is 2012 the year the cosmic clock finally winds down to zero days, zero hope?"

It may sound all too much like other doomsday scenarios of recent decades - the 1987 Harmonic Convergence, the Jupiter Effect or "Planet X." But this one has some grains of archaeological basis.

One of them is Monument Six.

Found at an obscure ruin in southern Mexico during highway construction in the 1960s, the stone tablet almost didn't survive; the site was largely paved over and parts of the tablet were looted.

It's unique in that the remaining parts contain the equivalent of the date 2012. The inscription describes something that is supposed to occur in 2012 involving Bolon Yokte, a mysterious Mayan god associated with both war and creation.

However - shades of Indiana Jones - erosion and a crack in the stone make the end of the passage almost illegible.

Archaeologist Guillermo Bernal of Mexico's National Autonomous University interprets the last eroded glyphs as maybe saying, "He will descend from the sky."

Spooky, perhaps, but Bernal notes there are other inscriptions at Mayan sites for dates far beyond 2012 - including one that roughly translates into the year 4772.

And anyway, Mayas in the drought-stricken Yucatan peninsula have bigger worries than 2012.

"If I went to some Mayan-speaking communities and asked people what is going to happen in 2012, they wouldn't have any idea," said Jose Huchim, a Yucatan Mayan archaeologist. "That the world is going to end? They wouldn't believe you. We have real concerns these days, like rain."

The Mayan civilization, which reached its height from 300 A.D. to 900 A.D., had a talent for astronomy

Its Long Count calendar begins in 3,114 B.C., marking time in roughly 394-year periods known as Baktuns. Thirteen was a significant, sacred number for the Mayas, and the 13th Baktun ends around Dec. 21, 2012.

"It's a special anniversary of creation," said David Stuart, a specialist in Mayan epigraphy at the University of Texas at Austin. "The Maya never said the world is going to end, they never said anything bad would happen necessarily, they're just recording this future anniversary on Monument Six."

Bernal suggests that apocalypse is "a very Western, Christian" concept projected onto the Maya, perhaps because Western myths are "exhausted."

If it were all mythology, perhaps it could be written off.

But some say the Maya knew another secret: the Earth's axis wobbles, slightly changing the alignment of the stars every year. Once every 25,800 years, the sun lines up with the center of our Milky Way galaxy on a winter solstice, the sun's lowest point in the horizon.

That will happen on Dec. 21, 2012, when the sun appears to rise in the same spot where the bright center of galaxy sets.

Another spooky coincidence?

"The question I would ask these guys is, so what?" says Phil Plait, an astronomer who runs the "Bad Astronomy" blog. He says the alignment doesn't fall precisely in 2012, and distant stars exert no force that could harm Earth.

"They're really super-duper trying to find anything astronomical they can to fit that date of 2012," Plait said.

But author John Major Jenkins says his two-decade study of Mayan ruins indicate the Maya were aware of the alignment and attached great importance to it.

"If we want to honor and respect how the Maya think about this, then we would say that the Maya viewed 2012, as all cycle endings, as a time of transformation and renewal," said Jenkins.

As the Internet gained popularity in the 1990s, so did word of the "fateful" date, and some began worrying about 2012 disasters the Mayas never dreamed of.

Author Lawrence Joseph says a peak in explosive storms on the surface of the sun could knock out North America's power grid for years, triggering food shortages, water scarcity - a collapse of civilization. Solar peaks occur about every 11 years, but Joseph says there's evidence the 2012 peak could be "a lulu."

While pressing governments to install protection for power grids, Joseph counsels readers not to "use 2012 as an excuse to not live in a healthy, responsible fashion. I mean, don't let the credit cards go up."

Another History Channel program titled "Decoding the Past: Doomsday 2012: End of Days" says a galactic alignment or magnetic disturbances could somehow trigger a "pole shift."

"The entire mantle of the earth would shift in a matter of days, perhaps hours, changing the position of the north and south poles, causing worldwide disaster," a narrator proclaims. "Earthquakes would rock every continent, massive tsunamis would inundate coastal cities. It would be the ultimate planetary catastrophe."

The idea apparently originates with a 19th century Frenchman, Charles Etienne Brasseur de Bourbourg, a priest-turned-archaeologist who got it from his study of ancient Mayan and Aztec texts.

Scientists say that, at best, the poles might change location by one degree over a million years, with no sign that it would start in 2012.

While long discredited, Brasseur de Bourbourg proves one thing: Westerners have been trying for more than a century to pin doomsday scenarios on the Maya. And while fascinated by ancient lore, advocates seldom examine more recent experiences with apocalypse predictions.

"No one who's writing in now seems to remember that the last time we thought the world was going to end, it didn't," says Martin, the astronomy webmaster. "There doesn't seem to be a lot of memory that things were fine the last time around."

[nordeck52]

Its going to be amusing watching all the idiots freaking out over nothing with this. Idiots can be so entertaining sometimes.

The only thing that will occur will be the ending of the 13th Baktun on the Mayan Long Count Calendar and the beginning of the 14th. 13 was a significant number for the ancient Mayans, to be sure, but still, there's really nothing to worry about, aside from a hoard of scam-artists trying to sell you stuff.

[Oregon_State_OSU]

OH GOD WHATEVER WITH THIS KRAP ABOUT 12-21-2012.

Well if the World Ends then there will not be a 12-22-2012 and the entire planet will be gone so who cares. Just a bunch of KRAP and B.S that people buy into.

Get a Frackin Life !

[luvheat]

Cracks me up when people hate gun ownership turn into the biggest whiners when they are victims of a criminal with an illegal weapon. You frikkin protesters never get it. You just thrive on being obnoxious and stupid at the same time

[sly_64]

If it happens, it will be a self-fulfilled prophecy.

[bajajohn1]

Blame Bush and Republicons. The old Mayans must have found Bush's WMD; meanwhile the Republicons believe the world will end when health care reform with a Public Option becomes law.

[rhs648]

For the fools and idiots who turn this article into something political, it is time to get a life. If you can't show respect for political leaders both past and current, may you be blessed with the same disrespect from you children, spouses, other family members, and your friends. It is appalling that civility has reached such lows.

[bajajohn1]

Beginning with your comment. Folks are having fun with this article. You get a life, Mr. Darkness.

[luvheat]

the end of civility started a LONG time ago

[watchdogtexas]

The end of the world started when Obama was elected.

[far_point200]

True. Obama is the Anti-Christ.

[myopinionpal]

Since Obama was elected the earth hasn't stopped turning, the sun still rises in the east and the earth is still 93 million miles from the sun so what's your point!!!

[myopinionpal]

Since President Obama was elected the earth is still turning there are still 24 hours in a day the sun is still 93 million miles from earth so whats your point.!!!!

[bajajohn1]

For Repubs, we thought it was when health care reform with a Public Option passed. So try to comment intelligently Rick Perry.

[taxchurches]

Ask an Astronomer" Web site, says people are scared.

No, people are imbeciles.

[SusanStoHelit]

No, imbeciles are scared.

Most people couldn't care less about this - it's nothing more than a Halloween story, scary, entertaining, not real.

[actornaught]

This endtimer lunacy dovetails too conveniently with the fabrications about gun control & such. Is this crapp ever gonna calm down?

Sells guns & ad time, though...

[myopinionpal]

I'm going to Wal-Mart and stock up on some ammo now before the 2012 rush is on, thats if I can find any

[pubsrtoast]

Myopinionpal, I still have all my extra ammo, food and water left over from our last Armageddon, Y2K:)

[myopinionpal]

Pubsrtoast, you mean you still have all those cans of pork & beans?

[docpeter1953]

Don't waste your time, they are out of everything except dove loads, and they are running low on those.

[bajajohn1]

Oh, and who are you going to shoot when the Earth explodes?

[RedWings_ninety_one]

The end of the world isn't going to happen on December 21, 2012. The Myan calendar was based on the movement of the stars. It began, and will end, on the day that the sun will appear to line up with the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. In my opinion, the end of the world isn't likely to happen for another billion or so years. It could possibly happen, though, when in a billion or so years, the milky way and andromeda galaxys colide.

[docpeter1953]

After 12/21/2012 the whole thing needs to be unwound. Starting at 2012 and continuing for the next 5127 years, and repeat.

[RCC_Soldaten]

There are other ancient calendars in the world. None of which mention 2012. Good gravy.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

There is at least one other ancient calendar in the world that mentions the end of the world in 2012.

[SusanStoHelit]

Get it right RedWings - the Mayan calander does NOT say the world ends in 2012. They just have cycles. They also have predictions of events happening in the year 4000 - so obviously they have no expectation that the world ends in 2012. Just stupid people being stupid.

[shortyfudpuc]

The destruction of the HUMAN race will come from the HUMAN race. Weak minds see portent and omen's hiding behind every bush or stone.

[luvheat]

you are being redundant...portents and omens are the same thing

[pubsrtoast]

on Dec. 21, 2012. After all, it's not the end of the world.

Or is it?
---------------------------

Lets see, Palin gets elected in November, and 45 days later KAPOW!
Yeah, that sounds about right.

[AlwaysSmiling]

Hmmm.. Well if Palin does get elected to the Presidency, maybe an aircraft carrier landing on the White House wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

Not that I wish harm on her or her family, but it would put an end to a tragedy before it really begins.

[bajajohn1]

What no Christmas in 2012? What will the retailers do beginning with their Christmas sales in October?

[John_Merritt]

Thats pretty funny, no that is real funny; but it is not accurate.

[book_of_wally]

If I were him, I would start claiming to be Mexico and not to know anything about Mayans.

[Ms_enza]

If I were him I'd say, "Yes, the world will end on 12/12/2012 and that true salvation can be obtained by sending me a check for 1/2 your current wealth."

He won't get much since people that stupid generally don't have money, but there are exceptions, like GW Bush for example, who inherit their money.

[bajajohn1]

Y2k anyone?

[antoniof123]

I have end of the world t-shirts for sale.

Go out in style!

[eyesopenwide]

Witch doctors, doom and gloom scenarios, religious belief/dogma (propaganda), and voodoo-satanic-occult-like superstitions, are all simplictic fairy-tale-like imaginings of ancient savages dancing around campfires chanting indoctrinal fantasy now handed down through eons of ignorant generational non-knowledge.

Like the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus, these apocolyptic beliefs stem from a simple lack of information and/or credible explanation to the contrary.

So we make stuff up. LOL.

We've stepped into the information age and found it, and our knowledge of the past, filled with untruths it may well take thousands of years to undo.

You do know that handling frogs of any kind will make you sterile, decrease your IQ by 60 points, and give you genital herpes, right?

[nordeck52]

by Ms_enza October 12, 2009 1:05 PM EDT
If I were him I'd say, "Yes, the world will end on 12/12/2012 and that true salvation can be obtained by sending me a check for 1/2 your current wealth."

He won't get much since people that stupid generally don't have money, but there are exceptions, like GW Bush for example, who inherit their money.
-------------------------------------

So there's a direct correlation between inheritance and stupidity? I guess that means that whenever that old watch of your grandfather's gets handed down to you, or whenever your grandmother's wedding dress gets passed down, brain cells get killed. I'd love to see the scientific evidence of that. I'm only partially kidding here.