This is the view from the tallest and most important Pyramid in Caracol, the largest archaeological site in Belize. By 650 AD, the urban sprawl of Caracol had a radius of 6.2 miles (10K) around the central palace. At the time the city supported approximately 144,000 citizens with immense agricultural field systems and elaborate city planning. Caracol is most famous for its military defeat and sustained subjugation of Tikal that drove Tikal into a 150-year dark age. Most of the view seen here was totally bereft of forest, and each major hilltop was studded with a Temple from which Maya priests communicated to the central Plaza important information and warned of approaching armies using reflective stones and a kind of Morse code. Buy calendar online

This is a rare sight, the Temple of the Jaguar seen during the exact moment of the lunar eclipse February 20th 2008, 10:26 PM. Stone pyramids and temples were built by the Maya to reflect powerful aspects of the natural and supernatural landscapes. Pyramids represented aspects as varied as volcano’s, ant hills and theological concepts including the world tree. Ascending the pyramid backwards in full regalia, shaman Kings reached the summit engrossed in ecstatic mind-states following lengthy trials of endurance. These trials were punctuated by the taking of hallucinogens, the cutting of their penises to ensure abstinence, and often the shedding of their own blood or the taking of noble life in ritual killing. These sacrifices opened the awesome gates to other dimensions in which the King stood as living portal, through which paranormal energies transformed into material wealth on behalf of the Kingdom. Buy calendar online

This is Temple III, Temple of the Jaguar as seen in the moonlight following a lunar eclipse in February 2008. At 130 ft (50) tall this was the last of the larger structures built in Tikal before the cities collapse and its peoples whirlwind exodus. The temple may house the burial chamber of Chi’taam, one of the cities final rulers. It’s summit contains a carved wooden lintel depicting the fat ruler dressed in Jaguar skins. Chi’taam was the 29th ruler in a line of rulers dating back to the 1st century AD. Buy calendar online

This is the setting sun seen from the back of Temple IV in Tikal. During the early part of the 20th century Mayanists from a variety of disciplines argued at the cause of the Maya collapse in the 9th century. Recent discoveries and evidence have revealed the Maya collapsed due to a combination of crisis. Ironically these causes are the same crisis humanity is facing today; endemic warfare, disease, starvation, increased loss of faith towards institutions of power, ecological disaster, and widespread social-disorientation triggered by the combined impact of these effects. Buy calendar online

This is the Governors Palace in the post classic site of Uxmal, one of the most splendidly preserved of all the Mayan ruins. The Governors Palace rivals the Pyramid of the Sorcerer as the prime architectural achievement in Uxmal. The Palace boasts a tri-level mosaic facade 320 ft (97 M) wide. Covered in carved masks of the water God Chaak, the facade is also covered in spiral representations of the golden ratio, and hash marks representing Venus, the Tlaloc Star-God of war. Uxmal is located amidst a seasonal desert without rivers or lakes nearby and was therefore completely dependent on rainfall for its survival. Looking directly above the largest of the doorways is Tlaloc seated on his throne. Archaeoastronomers have recently discovered the central doorway over which Tlaloc sits is in perfect alignment with Venus as the Morning Star. Buy calendar online

The Temple of Inscriptions rises 115 ft (35 M) over the city of Palenque. In 1948 a secret passage was found leading 85 feet below the top platform to the burial chamber of Pacal the Great, fabled King of Palenque, a city also known as Banner Water. In “Chariots of the Gods?: Unsolved Mysteries of the Past”, a book written in 1968, author Erich Von Daniken put forward the hypothesis that the technologies and religions of ancient civilizations were given to them by aliens because they far surpassed the technologies of the eras in which they were manufactured. One of the specific claims Von Daniken made regarding the Maya was aimed at the sarcophagus lid of Pacal the Great. Von Daniken claimed the carved stone lid depicted the ruler in a space ship blasting into the heavens. His claims were made prior to specialists ability to decipher Mayan hieroglyphics. Subsequent translation of the lid inscriptions and imagery revealed the lid depicts Pacal falling down the shaft of the world tree, the axis mundi that ran through the center of the Mayan universe, into the underworld to face the Nine Lords of the Night on his death journey to the angelic realm. Buy calendar online

At 190 ft (59 M) tall, Temple V is the second tallest pyramid in the city of Tikal. Seen here from what was the Kings Palace window, not much is known about Temple V despite the fact it commands obvious attention due east of the city center. Some archaeologists believe it to stand over the burial site of an unknown ruler. To date no attempts to excavate it’s base have been made. Looking closely one recognizes this Temple from Star Wars as well. Lucas took the name Star Wars from the military history of the Maya who conducted battles according to the position of Venus, Tlaloc the God of war. Buy calendars online

This is the view from the ceremonial platform of Temple IV in the city of Tikal. Seen rising from the forest canopy are Temple of the Jaguar, and the Temple of the Masks standing at the center of the city. During the height of Tikal’s power the city spread out from this central point in all directions as far as the eye could have seen. It covered 42 square miles and was completely surrounded by a defensive wall. During the mid 8th century Tikals population may have exceeded 500,000 people with an estimated 25 million Mayans across the entire civilization. By calendar online

The pinnacle of monumental Mayan architecture, Temple IV in Tikal is the tallest pyramid in the Maya world and was the tallest building in the Americas until the construction of skyscrapers in the 18th century. Simply referred to as Temple IV, this pyramid was built sometime around 741 AD. Constructed under the reign of Jasaw Chans son Yak’in Chan Kawiil, it literally towers over the ancient city at a grand height of 212 ft (64 M).  The spectacular view from it’s ceremonial platform was used in Star Wars: A New Hope, with Tikal posing as the secret location of the hidden rebel base. Buy calendar online

The Temple of the Jaguar rises 144.4 ft (44 M) and stands at the heart of the ancient city-state of Tikal. Built to commemorate and later entomb Jasaw Chan K’awiil the 1st, this Shaman King ruled the city from AD 682 to 734. Jasaw Chan resurrected the city from a 150-year dark ages of subjugation and kicked off an unprecedented two hundred years of geo-political supremacy over all Maya city-states, a dominance that lasted until the ultimate collapse of the entire civilization by AD 908. Crowning the pyramid is a massive roof comb depicting the ruler seated on his throne looking west towards Temples II, III and IV, each of which the sun sets directly behind once a year. 1450 years of erosion have created the illusion of a face staring directly overhead. This is ironic since archeoastronomers suspect the pyramid will come into direct alignment with the center of our Galaxy on midnight December 21st, 2012. Buy calendar online

The Pyramid of the Sorcerer is located in the Ancient post-classic city of Uxmal. Legend claims a dwarf and his mother, a witch with the power to erect a city in a day, built this pyramid overnight. According to a local Shaman the legend has its roots in the fact the city was settled by bee keepers. Bees are capable of building their hives in a day governed by a single Queen. In fact this pyramid is five structures built overtop one another over a three hundred year period. Buy calendar online

The seventh wonder of the world, this is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, named after the Mayan creation God Kukulkan. Built between the 11th and 13th centuries, it’s nine levels were symbolic of the nine dimensions of the Mayan underworld and the nine Lords of the Night who ruled this domain. Every year tens of thousands gather at Chichén Itzá during Spring Equinox to witness the interplay of light and shadow that creates the illusion of Kukulkan slithering down its steps connecting with the carved head of Kukulkan at the base of the stairs. Buy calendars online

The circular image seen above is the Aztec Sunstone. The Maya never left us an artistic rendition of the 260-day Mayan Tzolkin, so we have placed the Sunstone one the front page to emphasis the fact that all Mesoamerican cultures, including the Olmec, Maya, Aztec and Toltec used the same 260-day Tzolkin that we have incorporated into our calendar for your interest and enjoyment. - Below are the descriptive pages giving detailed analysis of the Sunstone, and a glossary of terms used by the Maya to describe the 13 tones and 20 glyphs that make up the 260-day calendar. You will refer to these terms throughout the year as a way of discovering what each day is on the Mayan calendar. Buy calendars online