Astronomy in the Maya Codices - (Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society) by Harvey M Bricker & Victoria R Bricker (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The Precolumbian Maya were closely attuned to the movements of the Sun and the Moon, the stars and the planets. Their rituals and daily tasks were performed according to a timetable established by these celestial bodies, a timetable based on a highly complex calendar system. Agriculture provided the foundation for their civilization, and the skies served as a kind of farmer's almanac for when to plant and when to harvest. In this remarkable volume, noted Maya scholars Harvey Bricker and Victoria Bricker offer invaluable insight into the complex world of the Precolumbian Maya, and in particular the amazing achievements of Maya astronomy, as revealed in the Maya codices the indigenous hieroglyphic books written before the Spanish Conquest. This far-reaching study confirms that, independent of the Old World traditions that gave rise to modern Western astronomy, the Precolumbian Maya achieved a sophisticated knowledge of astronomy based on observations recorded over centuries. Illus.

Review Quotes

"An indispensable reference for scholars of the Precolumbian Maya and related fields."-- "Book News Inc."

"Destined to become a classic within the field of Maya studies...an encyclopedic resource on a topic that has remained relatively little known before now."--Gabrielle Vail

"I am in awe of the book and of Vicki and Harvey Bricker."--Marta Barber "Newsletter of the Institute of Maya Studies"