The Moon in the classic Maya world

During the Classic Period of the Maya civilization (250-900 A.D.) we have m any documents in which it is possible to see the interest of this people on the principal lunar phenomena as the phases and the eclipses in particular . On a number of stelae, lintels and many other inscriptions (in Copan, Quiri gua, Tikal, etc.), we can see that in correspondence of the dedication date of the monument, the Maya point out the phase of the Moon and its position in a period of six months corresponding to half year of eclipse. In some p arts of the Dresda Codex (one of the four original codices of the Maya) we can see some pages in which were indicated the days of the Tzolkin calendar (the religious calendar of 260 days) in which it is possible to observe a lunar or solar eclipse. The periods of 177 or 148 days are allotted in a se quence that corresponds to the exact interval between the eclipses. The accuracy in the observations and in the calculations of the phases of t he Moon, also in very old epochs, is an interesting evidence of the fundame ntal importance of the Moon in the Maya civilisation.