The Maya forged one of the greatest societies in the history of the ancient Americas — and in all of human history. Long before contact with Europeans, Maya communities built spectacular cities with large, well-fed large populations. They mastered the visual arts, and developed a sophisticated writing system that recorded extraordinary knowledge in calendrics, mathematics, and astronomy. The Maya achieved all this without area-wide centralized control. There was never a single, unified May...

The Friar and the Maya offers a full study and new translation of the Relación de las Cosas de Yucatán (Account of the Things of Yucatan) by a unique set of eminent scholars, created by them over more than a decade from the original manuscript held by the Real Academia de la Historia in Madrid. This critical and careful reading of the Account is long overdue in Maya studies and will forever change how this seminal text is understood and used.For ...

This fascinating history explores the cultural roots of our civilization’s obsession with the end of the world. Busting the myth of the ancient Maya prediction that time would end in 2012, Matthew Restall and Amara Solari build on their previous book, 2012 and the End of the World, to use the Maya case to connect such seemingly disparate historical events as medieval European millenarianism, Moctezuma’s welcome to Cortés, Franciscan missionizing in Mexico, prophetic traditions in ...

Did the Maya really predict that the world would end in December of 2012? If not, how and why has 2012 millenarianism gained such popular appeal? In this deeply knowledgeable book, two leading historians of the Maya answer these questions in a succinct, readable, and accessible style. Matthew Restall and Amara Solari introduce, explain, and ultimately demystify the 2012 phenomenon. They begin by briefly examining the evidence for the prediction of the world's end in ancient Maya texts and ...

The Maya forged one of the greatest societies in the history of the ancient Americas and in all of human history. Long before contact with Europeans, Maya communities built spectacular cities with large, well-fed large populations. They mastered the visual arts, and developed a sophisticated writing system that recorded extraordinary knowledge in calendrics, mathematics, and astronomy. The Maya achieved all this without area-wide centralized control. There was never a single, unified Maya ...

The bestselling author of Chariots of the Gods will challenge your intellect—and maybe a few long-held beliefs. "His ideas have a mythic appeal." —James A. Herrick, Christianity TodayErich von Däniken again shows his flair for revealing the truths that his contemporaries have missed. After closely analyzing hundreds of ancient and apparently unrelated texts, he is now ready to proclaim that hum...

Legendary Harvard religion scholar Harvey Cox offers up a new interpretation of the history and future of religion. Cox identifies three fundamental shifts over the last 2,000 years of church history:The Age of Faith was when the early church was more concerned with following Jesus' teachings than enforcing what to believe about Jesus.The Age of Belief marks a significant shift-between the fourth and twentieth centuries-when the church focused on orthodoxy and right beliefs...

There have been many interpretations and predictions about the year 2012, known as the Mayan End Timetouted in everything from books to television commercials. But what do the Mayans themselves have to say about these prophecies?In The Mayan Ouroboros, the much-anticipated follow-up to his bestselling Serpent of Light, spiritual researcher Drunvalo Melchizdek reveals for the first time what Mayan elders have told him about this period. In this book he explains how...

On December 21, 2012, the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, a 5,125-year cycle calendar system pioneered by the Maya, will come to an end. At the same time, the earth, the sun, and the center of the galaxy will come together in an extremely rare cosmic alignment. More and more people believe that the world as we know it will experience a transformation in 2012, but few are aware of the complete history or significance of the date. John Major Jenkins, among the most authoritative voices of ...

Discover the ancient Maya civilization and one of their most popular toured ancient ruined cities of Tulum, Mexico in this detailed guidebook. Th e Ancient Maya and Th eir City of Tulum: Uncovering the Mysteries of An Ancient Civilization and Th eir City of Grandeur, is an easy to read comprehensive guide to unlocking the secrets and mysteries of the ancient Maya civilization. It answers the questions that so many people ask about one of the most interesting and amazing civilizations that ...

December 21st, 2012. Will it be the end of the world? A new dawn for human civilization? Or are the predictions and prophecies all based on a series of misinterpretations, coincidences, and elaborate hoaxes? In this illustrated and comprehensive look at the science, history, legends, and recent discoveries surrounding the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar, author Melissa Rossi unravels fact from fiction in an effort to determine what's actually in store for humanity. Featuring an introd...

The Maya calendar started on August 11, 3114 BCE (corresponding date in the proleptic Gregorian calendar) and will end on December 21 2012. Will it be Armageddon or just another day? The believers are making survival preparations and turning to religious leaders for guidance and solace. Follow National Geographic through the maze of doomsday prophets, cult leaders, and international and historic end times teachings to understand the science behind the Maya calendar and the phenomenon of Ar...