Keywords

Maya, Astronomy, saros, tritos, tzolkin, inex. lunar, solar

Abstract

The Eclipse Table, on pages 51-58, of the Dresden Codex has long fascinated Maya scholars. Researchers use the mean-value method of 173.3 days to determine nodal passage that is the place where eclipses can occur. These studies rely on Oppolzer's Eclipse Canon and Schram's Moon Phase Tables to verify eclipse occurrences. The newer canons of Jean Meeus and Bao-Lin Liu use decimal accuracy. What would be the effect of modern astronomical data on the previous studies and the Maya Eclipse Table? The study utilizes a general view of eclipses that includes eclipses not visible to the Maya. Lunar eclipses are also included. This inquiry differs from previous studies by calculating the Maya dates of eclipses instead of nodal passage. The eclipse dates are analyzed using the three eclipse seasons, of the 520 days, which is the Double Tzolkin or twice the Sacred Calendar of the Maya. A simulation of the Eclipse Table, using the 59-day calendar, is created to test modern data against the Dresden Table. The length of the Table is the Triple Tritos of 405 lunations. The use of the Tritos instead of the Saros suggests the Table is independent of Western Astronomy. Advanced Astronomy is not needed to produce this Table; a list of eclipses could produce this table. The result of this inquiry will be to create a facsimile of the Eclipse Table, which can be compared to the Eclipse Table to test the structure, function and purpose of the Table.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2007

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Chase, Arlen

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Graduate Studies

Department

Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies

Degree Program

Liberal Studies

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0001910

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0001910

Language

English

Release Date

December 2007

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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