Astronomy of the Ancient Greeks and Mayas: A Comparison of Scientific Observations and Innovation

Abstract

The historical narratives regarding the ancient Maya have been extremely inconsistent since colonial days. The early twentieth-century historians’ enthusiastic praise for the genius of the ancient Maya ended with a pendulum swing of reverse sentiment in later writings. The differing perspectives espoused on the ancient Maya historical narratives are in stark contrast to those of the steadier historical analyses associated with the ancient Greeks. It is this contrast that provides the intriguing backdrop to a comparison between a topic of utmost importance to both the ancient Greeks and Mayas: astronomy. The following is such a comparison.