Astronomy, Math, Medicine and the Calendar

Day 7 - The Learning Cycle: Xunantunich

Astronomy, math, medicine, and the modern calendar, the Maya made innovations and significant contributions in all of these fields. Today, we visit the site of Xunantunich. It once housed up to 10,000 Maya up till 900AD and then was a ghost town. I am really excited to see the ruins and learn more about these fascinating people. At the entrance, 20 men sit in a row. All of them are certified guides looking to be employed for the day. We interview them. They are all good. We choose one and are on our way. As we enter, we take a ferry across the Mopan River. It is hand-cranked by a gov’t employee. I try it. It’s a lot of work! We cross and drive up to the park office. We pay our fee and start walking away. The park officer stops us and says we can’t use video at the site. Hmmm. We tell him it’s for kids. He says no. We tell him that we are a non-profit. He says no. We point at two other visitors with Go-Pro’s already filming. He says ok. We start our walk. It’s beautiful! We learn about trees, plants, and the forest. The Maya used the surrounding nature for medicine, shelter, and weapons. They were one with the forest. High above us are Howler monkeys, resting in the mid-day sun. As we round the top of the road, the cathedral, called El Castillo, comes into view. It rises 130 feet above us. Amazing! It is breathtaking. Taking between 200-300 years to build, the Maya created a masterpiece of architecture. It is beautiful, functional, and innovative. Well played, Mayans. Well played.Some of the theories about the decline of the Maya civilization are a result of drought, debilitating warfare, environmental disaster, and civil strife. Many of these questions remain, as there is no definitive answer. The lasting impression with me was that our guide was a great storyteller that brought Mayan history to life. It is the same concept that we strive for with The Learning Cycle. We aim to be great storytellers to create interest and passion about world culture.