[Aztlan] The Turtle and the "Ukahlay Katunob".

[lahunik.62 at skynet.be]

In his article in the Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol 44 Nr.2
(Summer 1988) p.183, Karl Taube underlined the importance of the Katun
cycles in the calendrical achievements of the ancient Maya. He argued that
the turtle served as a model of the circular world.

A full katun sequence is composed of 13 Katun, what was named as a "Ukahlay
Katunob". That the turtle was used as model was because of his back, his
shield, which is composed of 13 plates. So he doesn't show the beginning nor
the end but the whole katun itself. The turtle served not only as a model,
but was in fact the living proof of the never-ending time wheel in the sign
of the number 13. If one look to the exact location of the House of the
Turtle in Uxmal, than his central position is very remarkable. I don't know
how many turtles were placed under the gutter of the roof of the House,
maybe 13.(?) 

We often forget that the Maya were not only remarkable timekeepers but also
have an exceptional knowledge of mathematics. At the time here in Europe we
even didn't know how many fingers we have on one hand, by the matter of
speaking.

As the L.C-notation of 5.200 tun or 13 Baktun begins with 13.0.0.0.0, on
this very "Kin" the cycle of the "Ukahlay Katunob" ends with the katun of 4
Ahau. As the present LC-cycle began on 3114 August 11 B.C. with the notation
of 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau than a new Great Cycle will begun on 2012 December 21
with 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau.

A katun is a cycle of 7.200 kin or 20 tun. As Taube quote in his article the
great majority of Classic Maya monuments commemorate the ending of
katun-periods. At this endings, or beginnings, specific rituals were held,
like penitential bloodletting. In fact these cycles were very important for
the Classic Maya who gave them a very specific meaning.

The name of the Tzolkinday is always Ahau. For instance the Tzolkinday of
the katun 5.12.0.0.0 was 1 Ahau. This kin was also the beginning of the
Pre-Classic Period which began on 906 June 17 B.C.

In the "Ukahlay Katunob" the number of the katun always stagger with 11 Kin,
along the specific cycle of the 13 numbers, from katun to katun. As the
katun of 906 June 17 B.C was the number 1 Ahau, than the number of the next
katun of 886 B.C was 12 Ahau. Relation between numbers like this, and in
coordination with the L.C, were and are for the Maya, and even for us,
important keys and signs to retrieve the importance of timecyles firmly
rooted in their calendars.

The beginning of the CR. of the LC is determined on 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau 8
Kumku. The next katun due, 2 Ahau, was also the beginning of the "Ukahlay
Katunob" with 13.1.0.0.0 2 Ahau. That was exact 20X360 kin or 7.200 kin
after the start of a new Baktun-cycle. As there are 20 dayglyphs, a katun
contains 360 complete cycles  of 20 dayglyphs, ending with Ahau. As there
are 13 numbers in the notation of one sequence, than there are 553 cycles of
the sequence through the katun, with a rest of 11 kin. So 11 kin before the
ending of the first katun we arrive on 4 Ahau, by which the katun ends on
the number 15, or 4+11=15. As the notation ends on 13, than 15 is in fact 2
or 2 Ahau.

The sequence of the katun is from 2 Ahau, to 13 Ahau, 11 Ahau, 9 Ahau, 7
Ahau, 5 Ahau, 3 Ahau, 1 Ahau, 12 Ahau, 10 Ahau, 8 Ahau, 6 Ahau and to 4
Ahau. The "Ukahlay Katunob" is in fact a cycle of 13 katun, or 13X20 tun, or
260 tun, or appr. 256 years in the Gregorian Calendar.

As the LC-notation was used by the Maya rulers during the Classic Period,
the "Ukahlay Katunob" was long enough to mark the Royal Descendants in the
Post-Classic Period.

Diego de Landa , Bisschop of Merida, described the "Ukahlay Katunob" in his
"Relacion de las Cosas de Yacatan" in 1566, and he added a Katunwheel, which
he copied from the Chilam Balambooks from after the Spanish Conquest. He
marked his katunwheel with Buluc Ahau or 11 Ahau with a cross, by which ha
wanted to mark the beginning of the Christian oppression. He marked the
katun cycle as 1541 in his Gregorian calendar, it was the time of the
Spanish Conquest of the town of Merida.

It isn't still very clear if de Landa meant katun 11 or the katun just
before, 13 Ahau. If so, than katun 13 or 11.16.0.0.0, 1539 November 12 A.D.,
is the exact time of the Conquest of the Yucatec Peninsula        

Lahun Ik 62

Baert Georges

Flanders Fields