WHAT IS THE SOLSTICE AND WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA REVERE IT?

 

June 21 is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. From now until winter solstice in December, we will lose sunlight each day. Due to the Earth's orbit and daily rotational motion, such as the wobble in the Earth's axis, the time and date of the solstice varies from year to year. Both the solstice and the equinox were important to the ancient Maya, and one cannot be explained without understanding the other. Here's why.

The Maya punched numbers and astronomical calculations that could make our heads spin, but nothing was more meaningful to them than the movements of the sun.

Maya Scribe (Latin America Studies Organization)

The Dresden Codex, one of three paperbark books that survived the mass destruction of Maya documents by Spanish zealots in 1562, is filled with numbers—mostly calculations for lunation cycles and Venus tables. And one of the Maya's main calendars, the Haab, is tied to the earth's rotation. They calculated it at 360 days, with five "extra days" at the end that were considered unlucky time. The Maya were naked eye astronomers, and through sheer volume, they assimilated countless facts about the planets and the impact of the earth's rotation through centuries of observance.

Portion of Dresden Codex (Frederico Custodio)

It's known that the number four held great importance to them. Some archeologists suggest it could be very basic: the body has four limbs with the heart at its center; a house has four corner posts; a milpa cornfield has four entrances; and the sun has four paths it takes on its seasonal journey—two solstices and two equinoxes. Other scholars suggest that the number four symbolized wholeness and is associated with Ahau, the Sun God. In K'iche', the word for day is the same word as sun, and a day is one complete passage of the sun.

Made with 2 images from Project Gutenberg
and CIA's World Facebook via MS Paint

The Maya also observed four cosmic points, which may possibly relate to the four posts of the sun's daily journey: sunrise, noon, the sun on the horizon at dusk, and lastly the nadir, just before the sun moves into the underworld. Scholars call these the four points of the Maya cosmos, and emphasize these are nothing like our cardinal directions of north, south, east and west.

The most relevant positions of the sun are the solstices and the equinoxes, even to us today. For the Maya sky gazers, these were of supreme importance and they paid homage to these positions.

If you've gone to Chichen Itza on a spring or fall equinox to watch the performance of the sun's descent from the top of Temple Kukulkan to the bottom of the staircase ending at the serpent's mouth, you've no doubt been awed by the experience. 

Chichen Itza at Equinox with Serpent's Shadow

Onlookers believe they share a moment in time with the ancient Maya, for legend has it that the Maya also witnessed the same image a thousand years ago. Kukulkan, one of the most monumental of all their sacred works, was the Maya god of rejuvenation and his effigy symbolized the renewal of life.

Why did the Maya immortalize the equinox in this bi-annual spectacle of astronomical showmanship? Although no one knows for sure, scholars believe rites of agriculture may have been the basis for the concept and design of Kukulkan's slithering serpent. Since Kukulkan symbolized rejuvenation, the March date coincides with planting cycles and a September date coincides with annual harvest, which in itself is a renewal of life, for it allows food for the winter months.

Native Corn in Mexico 

The equinox is unique because on that day, in March and September, night and day are equal.

The solstices represent a similar idea, as they are twice a year occurrences and on these days the sun reaches its highest or lowest altitude in the sky above the horizon at solar noon. 

Winter solstice, which we've just observed, is the traditional beginning of the earth's yearly cycle. Though I never adhered to the end calendar belief of the 2012ologists who claimed 2012 would be the end of time, John Major Jenkins, author of Maya Cosmogenesis 2012, had a point when he suggested the solstice was so important to the Maya that they placed  buildings in alignment with its zenith.

                                                   

Jenkins believes that a stela at Izapa (a site in southern Mexico that may or may not be Maya) leaves a code for us to decipher. In particular, Group F Ballcourt, which displays what Jenkins calls creation imagery, is aligned within one degree of December solstice sunset and the June solstice sunrise direction. He claims this could have been no coincidence.

Archeo-astronomer Anthony Aveni states there are at least 73 city alignments to the solstice throughout the Maya world. He thinks there is evidence for a solstice-based calendar. He leans towards June because it marks the time of the peak rainy season in the year.

El Caracol Observatory at Chichen Itza (Veteezy.com)

At Chichen Itza, the equinox is visible through a window in El Caracol Observatory's tower. And the great ballpark at Chichen Itza, the largest known ballcourt in the ancient Maya world, encodes many alignments involving the Milky Way and the solstices. The ballcourt was aligned with the Milky Way at midnight on June solstice 865 AD, and if one had stood in the center of the ballcourt on that night, the arc of the Milky Way could have been seen touching the opposed horizons to which the lengthwise axis of the ballcourt pointed. Overhead, one would have seen where the Milky Way and the ecliptic cross.

Picture of Milky Way (Discovery)

This incredible symmetry was planned on a grand scale. The why's and wherefores we may never know, but what we do know for certain is this: the Maya were well aware of the solstice and equinox dates and they paid homage to them in the most obvious way. They were so important that they commemorated them by building ethereal stepped pyramids that lasted for centuries that would align with both solstice and equinox, and are still viewed with wonder to this day. Today we view the solstices as the shortest and longest days of the year, and know once December comes, the earth will soon be tilting towards the sun, reaching for more light. 

If you enjoyed this post, check out my memoir, Where the Sky is Born: Living in the Land of the Maya. It's available on Amazon with tales of expat life and living within 100 miles of four major pyramid sites. Also, check out my website at www.jeaninekitchel.com. Books one and two in my Mexico cartel trilogy, Wheels Up—A Novel of Drugs, Cartels and Survival, and Tulum Takedown, are available on Amazon where my overview of the 2012 Maya calendar phenomenon, Maya 2012 Revealed—Demystifying the Prophecy, can also be found. 

Lead photo: Welcoming Winter Solstice, is from the Navajo-Hopi Observer.

WHAT IS THE EQUINOX?

We're living in the 21st century. Those in western civilization are far removed from the jungles, the plains and the tundra. So why is the equinox important to us today? Called the first day of autumn, the equinox—when day and night are equal in length all over the world—occurs this year on September 22 and marks the autumnal equinox.

At equinox, the sun crosses directly over the equator and as the Earth orbits, it tilts neither away from the sun nor towards it. Because the equinox is based on the Earth's movement around the sun, there's a three-day window in which it can occur—as early as September 2o and as late as September 23.

HOW IT RELATES TODAY

But why do we take an interest in the equinox? Could be because we humans, going back to the Egyptians, the Maya, and Polynesians for starters, have always been stargazers. Early on in our coming of age, the ancients made up the constellations and stories about the night sky. Today we still gaze at the same sky but with more oomph—we send out advanced satellites, telescopes, and Rovers to retrieve information from the stars, the planets and far-away galaxies. And we're writing scientific documents, basically new stories, extolling what lies outside our atmosphere.

Nectarine blossoms (photo John Kitchel)

Even though we live in a sophisticated high-tech world, we still celebrate the importance of the relationship between our sun and planet Earth. In agrarian times, spring was ushered in by the equinox which meant it was time to plant, and at the autumnal equinox it was time to harvest. That may not be so important to us today, but have you ever wondered why Easter is also a floating date rather than fixed?

EASTER

Easter today, as in pagan times, is the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. This year that full moon is March 28 and Easter falls on April 4. As sophisticated as we are with technology at our fingertips, we still follow some traditions that originated when humans were still hunter-gatherers. Though we may think the equinox has no influence on us, we're still rooted in a pagan cycle of historic events due to the date of that celestial occurrence. 

Because the spring equinox has ties to Christianity's most important event, Easter, many believe it centers on not only the Earth's waking call from a dark winter, but also the theme of resurrection.

CHICHEN ITZA AND THE EQUINOX

One of the most famous equinox ceremonies in North America takes place at the Maya pyramid site at Chichen Itza in Mexico. Around 4 p.m. the sun casts a remarkable shadow onto the most prestigious of the pyramids there, Temple of Kukulkan (Feathered Serpent). Due to the sun's position in the sky and the building's position thanks to precise mathematical calculations prefigured more than a millennia ago for the event, a shadow slithers down the staircase, ending at the tip of a serpent's mouth at the bottom. This feat was made possible by the Maya's ability to calculate the sun's effects on the earth at equinox.

In the Maya world many buildings are built to specifications that coincide with the equinox. Some scholars believe the importance placed on it relays to the resurrection of the Maize God, Hunahpu, and the turning from winter's darkness towards the light of spring, ushering in planting time. The fall equinox no doubt pays homage to the harvest.

The Hero Twins Consult with God (University of Virginia)

WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION

On the other side of the globe in Egypt, the equinox also represents a time of resurrection for the god Osiris. Because of this it's said the Great Sphinx of Giza is positioned to look directly at the rising sun on spring equinox. In Cambodia, scholars say the equinox represents the winning of forces of light over darkness, so the main temple at Angkor Wat also aligns with the equinox sun. 

Angkor Wat (photo the Ultimate Guide)

A certain theme continues to be played out with the equinox in the myths of the world—rebirth, awakening, and light overcoming darkness—exactly what takes place as Earth tilts into spring. 

So even though we're entrenched in this modern world, uber-connected through smart phones, computers and all forms of social media, it's important to remember there's a bigger picture out there and it affects all humanity on our green Earth. It is a thing as simple as how the sun and Earth relate, two days a year, on the equinox.

For more info on Mexico, the Maya and the Yucatán, subscribe to my bi-monthly blog above or check out my website, www.jeaninekitchel.com. I'm also author of a travel memoir Where the Sky is Born: Living in the Land of the Maya, that tells about my expat experience in buying land and building a house in a fishing village on the Mexican Caribbean coast. It's available on Amazon, as are books one and two in m crime thriller trilogy, Wheels Up—A Novel of Drugs, Cartels and Survival, along with Tulum Takedown.

WHAT IS THE EQUINOX?

We’re living in the 21^st century. Western civilization is far removed from the jungles, the plains and the tundra – so why is the equinox important to us today? Often associated with the first day of spring, the vernal equinox – when day and night are equal in length all over the world – occurs on March 20th this year. 

At equinox, the sun crosses directly over the equator and the earth tilts neither away nor towards the sun.  Because the equinox is based on the earth’s movement around the sun, there’s a three-day window in which the spring equinox can occur – as early as March 19, and as late as March 21.   

WHY THE INTEREST?

But why do we take interest in the equinox?  Could be because we humans have always been stargazers.  Early on in our coming of age, the ancients made up the constellations and stories about the sky. Today, we’re still gazing at the same sky but with a little more oomph. We’re sending out advanced satellites, telescopes, and Rovers to bring back information from the stars and planets, and we’re writing scientific documents, basically new stories, extolling what lies outside our atmosphere.

So even though we’re in a sophisticated, high tech world, we still celebrate the importance of the relationship between our sun and our planet, the earth. In agrarian times, spring was ushered in by the equinox, which meant it was time to plant crops.  That may not be so important to us today, but have you ever wondered why Easter is a floating date rather than the same day each year?

EASTER

Easter’s date, even in these modern times, is the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. This year that full moon is April 6, and Easter falls on April 9.  So even though we may consider ourselves far removed from any consequences of the equinox, we are still rooted in a pagan cycle of historic events due to the date of that celestial occurrence.  Because the spring equinox has ties to Christianity’s most important event, Easter, many believe it centers on the theme of resurrection, and not only of the earth’s waking call from a dark winter.

One of the most famous equinox ceremonies in North America takes place at the Maya pyramid site of Chichen Itza in Mexico.  If you’ve had a chance to be there during spring or fall equinox, you’ve witnessed an astounding performance.  About 4 p.m. the sun casts a remarkable shadow onto the looming Temple of Kukulkan due to its placement in the sky, the building’s position, and the Maya’s precise mathematical calculations prefigured more than a millennia ago for this event. The shadow slithers down to the bottom of the staircase and ends at the serpent’s mouth.  This spectacular feat was made possible by the Maya’s ability to calculate the sun’s effects on earth at equinox.

THE ANCIENT MAYA AND THE EQUINOX

In the Maya world there are many buildings built to specifications that coincide with the equinox.  Some scholars believe the importance placed on it relays to the resurrection of the Maize God, Hunahpu, and the turning from the darkness of winter towards the light of spring, ushering in planting time. The fall equinox no doubt pays homage to the harvest.  

                       

WORLD CIVILIZATIONS

On the other side of the globe in Egypt, the equinox also represents a time of resurrection, for the god Osiris.  Because of this it is said, the Great Sphinx of Giza is positioned to look directly at the rising sun of the spring equinox.  In Cambodia, where scholars say the equinox represents the winning of the forces of light over darkness, the main temple Angkor Wat also aligns with the equinox sun.  This seems to be the universal meaning of what is represented by the equinox: rebirth, awakening and light overcoming darkness, exactly what happens as we tilt into spring.

So even though we may be entrenched in this modern world, über-connected with our smart phones and computers and all forms of social media, it’s important to remember there’s a bigger picture out there, and it affects all humanity on our green earth.  

It is a thing as simple as how the sun and the earth relate, two days a year, on the equinox.

By Jeanine Kitchel   www.jeaninekitchel.com