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We are delighted to present our collection of personalized jewelry, inspired by the Mayan calendar, an iconic pre-Columbian civilization of Mexico. This exclusive collection offers you the opportunity to create a unique piece in 925 sterling silver, which will immortalize in an original way a significant date in your life, whether it is your birth, your wedding, or any other memorable moment. Each piece of jewelry is carefully and precisely designed to reflect the cultural and historical richness of the Mayans, while capturing the essence of your own story. Treat yourself or a loved one to a piece of jewelry that transcends time and borders.
The observation of glyphs, these complex symbols that make up the Mayan calendar systems, sometimes reveals notable differences. These variations can be attributed to the vast expanse of the Mayan territory, which was sometimes divided, as well as the long history of this civilization. It is therefore quite normal to observe differences in the representation of Mayan calendar glyphs, as they can reflect regional peculiarities, linguistic developments, and cultural influences that have marked different periods of Mayan history.
We have carefully selected the glyphs presented on this page for their authenticity and representativeness of the Mayan calendar systems. However, if you have a specific request or a slightly different desire, we are here to listen. Please do not hesitate to let us know, and we will do our best to meet your expectations and create a personalized piece of jewelry that reflects your unique style.
The choice of a silver jewelry theme based on the Mayan calendar leaves us with many options for ornamentation and supports.
Given the importance the Mayans placed on different calendar systems, we offer:
We present here some examples of possible supports for your jewelry inspired by the Mayan calendar. However, our creativity and expertise allow us to create a wide variety of unique pieces. Do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your preferences and ideas. Whether you want a ring, a brooch, earrings, a pendant, or any other type of jewelry, we are here to help you create the perfect piece that matches your style and personality.
Stud earrings with a date of the Tzolkin calendar (1 x 1.3 cm approximately) |
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Stud earrings with two different dates of the Tzolkin calendar (1 x 1.3 cm approximately) |
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Stud earrings with the date of the Mayan calendar wheel (1 x 1.3 cm approximately) |
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Pendant with the long Count date (7 x 2 cm) |
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Brooch with the long Count date (5 x 2 cm) |
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Earrings with the long Count date (7 x 2 cm) |
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Earrings with the two different long Count dates (7 x 2 cm) |
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Ring with a Tzolkin glyph | ||
Maya Long Count Calendar ring |
The term "Mayan calendar" is often used, but in reality, it would be more accurate to speak of "Mayan calendars". This pre-Columbian civilization of Mexico primarily used three calendars to manage time, but in reality, there are many more. Among the most well-known, we find:
All calendars were governed by the "scientists" of the time, that is, the priests, who were the holders of mathematical and astronomical knowledge. These priests, called Ah Kin, were highly respected and considered intermediaries between the gods and humans. They were responsible for observing the stars, calculating lunar and solar cycles, and organizing religious ceremonies based on celestial movements. Their in-depth knowledge of the Mayan calendars allowed them to predict eclipses, agricultural seasons, and important astronomical events, giving them considerable power within Mayan society.
The Mayan calendar is often attributed to the Olmecs, considered the mother civilization. This hypothesis is supported by the similarity of calendar systems with those of the Aztecs and Mixtecs, which show identical workings and suggest a common origin. The Olmecs, who preceded the Mayans, were known for their advancements in astronomy and mathematics, and it is likely that they influenced the Mayans in the development of their calendar. However, the Mayans also brought their own innovations and adaptations to the calendar, making it a unique and sophisticated system.
The term "Tzolk’in" means "count of days" in the Mayan language. This Mayan calendar, considered sacred, consists of 260 days, called "Kines". It is organized into 20 months of 13 days each. Each month is represented by a glyph, a graphic symbol, and each day is identified by a number. The Tzolk’in is a cyclical calendar, which means it repeats every 260 days.
The Tzolk’in is often associated with two fascinating calculation origins. The first theory suggests that the Tzolk’in is based on the average duration of human gestation, which is about 260 days. This hypothesis underscores the close connection the Mayans had with nature and life, using the gestation cycle as the basis for their sacred calendar. The second theory, equally intriguing, is that the Tzolk’in is linked to the planet Venus. The Mayans were astute sky observers, and they closely followed the movements of planets and stars. Venus, in particular, was associated with the deity Kukulkan, also known as Quetzalcoatl among the Aztecs. The Mayans believed that Venus was a divine messenger, and they used its cycles to predict important events and plan religious ceremonies.
It was used to plan agricultural activities (periods and durations of rains, sowings, harvests…), the periods for hunting and fishing, religious.
The Tzolk’in, the sacred calendar of the Maya, was the most used to plan a multitude of vital activities, ranging from agricultural activities to religious ceremonies, through hunting or fishing times. Its precision and reliability made it an indispensable tool for the Maya, who used it to determine the periods and durations of rains, the times conducive to sowing and harvesting, as well as to predict important astronomical events. But the Tzolk’in was not limited to material life: it was also used to define the destiny of people. Each day of the Tzolk’in was associated with a specific glyph, representing a deity or a cosmic force, and these glyphs were considered signs of predestination for people born on that day.
Maya name | Characteristic | Glyph |
Imix | "crocodile". This day is associated with an earth deity, mother of fertility and fecundity. | |
Ik | "wind", "breath that gives life", "spirit". It is associated to the god of water, Chac and to the god of wind, one of the forms of Kukulkan. | |
Akbal | "darkness inside the earth". This Maya day is associated with the Jaguar god, representing the race of the sun during the night. | |
Kan | "ripe corn" or "big flower". It is associated with the god Yum Xak. | |
Chicchan | "snake". This Maya day is associated with the snake god, symbol of the rain and also of fertility. | |
Cimi | "death". It is associated to the god Yum Cimil, the macabre and cruel god of death. | |
Manik | "deer". This Maya day is associated to Buluk Chabtan, god of war and of human sacrifice. | |
Lamat | "Venus" | |
Muluc | "water". This Maya day is dedicated to the god of water and jade. | |
Oc | "trace" or "print". This day is dedicated to the mythical dog Xibalba who accompanies the dead to the underworld. |
Maya name | Characteristic | Glyph |
Chuen | "monkey". It is dedicated to the god of scribes and mathematicians. This Maya day is associated with Ah Chicum Ek, god of the lodestar. | |
Eb | "tooth". This Maya day is associated with the negative deity of disasters and floods. | |
Ben | "reed". It is dedicated to the god of the Green Corn, the one who protects the growth of the plant before the harvest. | |
Ix | "jaguar". This Maya day is associated with the Jaguar god, as a night being and a priest. | |
Men | "eagle". This Maya calendar is dedicated to the goddess of the ancient moon, that is to say the waning moon. | |
Cib | "soul". This day is dedicated to the god of bees and beekeepers | |
Caban | "earth". This day of the calendar is associated with the goddess of the young moon, that is to say the waxing moon. | |
Etz-nab | "knife". This day is associated with the god obsidian blade. He runs the cult of sacrifices and self-sacrifices. | |
Cauac | "stormy". This day of the calendar is dedicated to destructive rains. | |
Ahau | this day of the Maya calendar is associated to the lord of the sun, Kinik Ahau |
The Haab, also known as the solar calendar, is a time measurement system based on the solar year. It consists of 365 days, which are divided into 18 months (Uinales) of 20 days each (Kines). The cycle ends with 5 additional days, called "Uayeb", which were considered ominous and during which no activity was carried out. These days were seen as a transition period between the old and new seasons, and were associated with purification and renewal rituals.
The Haab was the basis of the collective religious calendar of the Maya, and it marked ceremonies and religious rituals. Each month of the Haab was associated with a god or deity, and each day was identified by a glyph, a graphic symbol.
Maya name | Characteristic | Glyph |
Pop | "mat". The patron of this month was the Jaguar. | |
Uo | "black conjunction" | |
Zip | "red conjunction". | |
Zotz | "bat". The patron of this month is the bat. | |
Tzec | "death". This month of the calendar is dedicated to the bees. | |
Xul | "dog". The patron of this month is the sun. | |
Yaxkin | "new sun". The patron of this month is the god Kukulkan. | |
Mol | "water". The patron of this Maya month is the god Chac. It is especially marked by the water purification day. | |
Chen | "black storm". The patron of this month is the goddess of the moon. | |
Yax | "green storm". The patron of this month is the god Chac. |
Maya name | Characteristic | Glyph |
Zac | "white storm". The patron of this Maya month is the god of hunting and fishing. | |
Ceh | "red storm" or "the new fire" | |
Mac | "closed". | |
Kankin | "yellow sun" | |
Muan | "owl". This month corresponds to the cocoa day. | |
Pax | "planting time". The patron of this month is the god "Red Puma Father". | |
Kayab | "turtle". | |
Cumkú | "attic". | |
Uayeb | "the sleeper" or "remaining part of the year". |
Neither the Tzolkin nor the Haab counted the years. Therefore, the combination of the two systems had to be used sufficiently to regulate the daily and practical life of the Maya. This is the minimum dating found on many Maya monuments.
The Tzolkin and the Haab combine to form a longer cycle of 52 years, where the same date is reached again. At the end of this cycle, both calendars would restart at zero. This operation is generally represented by 3 gear wheels: the smallest (B) marking the numbers of the Tzolkin wheel days (A), nested with the large Haab wheel (C).
This cycle is defined in 52 Tunes or Haabs, which is 18,980 Kines (days). The new cycle was celebrated by the ceremony of the new fire, which would correspond to a century in our conception of time. This ceremony, called "Wayeb", marked the end of a 52-year cycle and the beginning of a new cycle. It was celebrated with rituals of purification and renewal, and it was considered a sacred moment in the lives of the Maya. The ceremony of the new fire was also an opportunity to renew alliances between the different Mayan city-states, and it was accompanied by festivities, dances, and songs.
The Maya Long Count was used to date an important event more precisely, in addition to the dates given by the Haab and Tzolkin. The Long Count, corresponding to a Maya era, began on 0.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau and 8 Cumkú, which would correspond according to the generally accepted correlation to August 11, 3114 BC in the Gregorian calendar. This dating system was used to mark important historical events, such as the founding of a city-state, the construction of a temple, or the accession to the throne of a sovereign. It allowed the Maya to track time over a much longer period than other calendars, and it was considered an essential tool for organizing the political and religious life of Maya civilization.
As everyone knows, this cycle of the Maya Long Count ended on December 20, 2012, which is 12.19.19.17.19 3 Cuauc 2 Kankin in the Maya calendar. No end of the world... but the new Maya era began on December 21, 2012, on the Maya date of 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau 3 Kankin. This event sparked many speculations and interpretations, but for the Maya, it simply marked the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one.
The Maya time calculation system is based on the number 20, and each unit of time therefore represents a multiple of 20. Each of these levels had a specific name. The basic Maya unit was the Kin or solar day. Here is the table of these units:
Maya name | Days | Equivalent | Meaning | Glyph |
Kin | 1 | "time" or "sun" | ||
Uinal | 20 | 20 Kin | "human being" | |
Tun | 360 | 18 Uinal | "stone" | |
Katún | 7 200 | 20 Tun ou 360 Uinales | "20 years" | |
Baktún | 144 000 | 7 200 Uinales, 400 Tunes ou 20 Katunes |
Other units, multiples of twenty, are found, but very rarely used by the Maya: the piktún, the kalabtún, the kinchinltún, and the alautún. These units of time were used to measure very long periods, such as thousands or millions of years, and were mainly used in a mythological or cosmological context. For example, the piktún was equivalent to 20 baktuns, or 7,200,000 days. The kalabtún was equivalent to 20 piktúns, or 144,000,000 days. The kinchinltún was equivalent to 20 kalabtúns, or 2,880,000,000 days. Finally, the alautún was equivalent to 20 kinchinltúns, or 57,600,000,000 days, and it was used to measure even longer periods, such as cosmic ages or cycles of creation and destruction of the world.
To complete and be precise about a Maya dating with the long count, we need to add one of the lords of the night.
This is another 9-day calendar cycle, each representing one of the lords of the night and patronizing the date.
We know nothing about them, not even their names. So we called them by a reference that goes from G-1 to G-9. But even if we don’t know much, they had to be present on one of our Maya calendar jewelry.
G-1 | G-2 | G-3 | |||
G-4 | G-5 | G-6 | |||
G-7 | G-8 | G-9 |
Finally, to be complete, a date was marked by an introductory glyph, specific to each month. It was usually wider to cover the whole. This introductory glyph, called the "month head," was a graphical representation of the month in question, and it was often larger than the other glyphs to mark the beginning of the month. It was usually placed at the top of the glyph column, and it was used to identify the month and day in the Maya calendar. The introductory glyph was often decorated with patterns and symbols associated with the month in question, and it was considered an important element of Maya dating.
Ceh | Zec | Zip |
There are other calendar systems among the Maya, but they are less used, such as the lunar series which provides information on lunar phases. We also find the solar cycle based on equinoxes and solstices, or that of Venus. All were used by Maya priests in their divination system. These lesser-known calendar systems were used for specific purposes, such as planning agricultural activities based on lunar phases, or predicting important astronomical events using the solar cycle or the Venus cycle.