7:00pm |
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Maya 2012: The Use and Abuse of Ancient Maya Knowledge presented by Dr. David Anderson (Radford University)
(Diversity)
As we rapidly approach December 21st, 2012, there has been an exponential increase in public awareness of the calendars and prophecies of the ancient Maya. Numerous books, television documentaries, and websites present the alleged knowledge and wisdom of the ancient Maya in readily digestible packages for modern American audiences. Predictions as to what will occur on the date in question range widely from a shift in the earth's magnetic poles, to a transformation in human consciousness, to the appearance of a heretofore unobserved planet in our solar system. In this bewildering array of predictions, the achievements and splendor of the Ancient Maya have been thrown into disarray. In this talk we will discuss the astronomical and calendrical knowledge of the ancient Maya, and learn what the Maya really knew about 2012. David S. Anderson received his Ph.D. in anthropology from Tulane University in 2010, with a focus on Maya and Mesoamerican and he is currently teaching as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Anthropological Sciences at Radford University. Anderson has been actively working on archaeological projects in Yucatan, Mexico, since 1999, and his research has covered broad topics from the origins of the Maya Ballgame.
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