Astronomy of Ancient MayaLately we learn a lot of the new Maya about civilisation which lived in northern region of Central America. For a civilisation of the Maya, the astronomy was very important part of their everyday life. Priests of the Maya studied the night sky throughout hundreds years, and have calculated a calendar in which only one error in 6000 years has been admitted!
Ancient astronomical observatories
Astronomers of the Maya of supervision over moving of heavenly bodies from stone observatories which have been located in different cities — Tikal, Palenke, Kopane, Chichen-Itse... Among all cities Karakol — an observatory in the city of Chichen-Itsa is especially allocated in the sizes. Караколь - a grandiose construction which represents the high roundish tower established on a two-level rectangular platform. On the top premise the spiral ladder inside conducts. From an observant room it was possible to watch the sky. Square windows of this premise look in the rising and sunset parties in days of a spring and autumn equinox, a summer and winter solstice.
Ancient Maya of astronomy and religion
Astronomers-priests of the Maya by means of the devices which work was based on shade rejection, created more exhaustively careful reports on position of stars and the sun. They to trace movings of stars to the sky. In ancient cities of the Maya, ceremonial pyramids have been brought into accord with directions of parts of the world. One very known for a building of this kind can be met the city of Chichen-Itsa where on an equinox, the sun slowly shines a ladder conducting to top of a pyramid and a stone head of a snake at the basis. Illusion is thus created that the snake creeps downwards on the earth.
The religion of the Maya was indissolubly связанна with astronomy. Rituals were spent according to position of stars in the sky. Governors of the Maya, first of all, should spend rituals on important dates to the certain periods of time which corresponded to celestial motion.
