Simon Martin and Joel Skidmore have recently published in The PARI Journal and posted on Mesoweb their intriguing new analysis of the age-old correlation question — that is, how we best reconcile the ancient Maya and Gregorian calendars. They offer the possibility that the standard Goodman-Martinez-Thompson (GMT) family of solutions so widely accepted by nearly all Mayanists for many decades may be off by up to a few days.
3 thoughts on “The 584286 Correlation”
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Interesting new proposal. I’ve been studying the correlation question since the mid-1980s, and believe that any proposed correlation must adequately address the requirements of an inter-disciplinary set of criteria. One that is essential but that is frequently not given enough credence is the ethnographic data. In an expected way, the ethnographic data provides a litmus test for any correlation proposal. I’ve presented this argument since my 1992 book, and I wrote an expanded treatment of that in July 2011, based on Munro Edmonson’s work, which is linked in my brief critique of Martin and Sidmore’s essay, in which they argue for a 286 correlation:
http://www.thecenterfor2012studies.com/Review-Martin-Skidmore.pdf
John Major Jenkins
Hello, Simon, George, David,
The 584286-Correlation Constant is better also from the point of view of Venus’ motion records: the final date of Venus Dresden Table (D24, III) is: 9.9.9.16.0 + 1.1.1.14.0 = 10.10.11.12.0, 1 Ajaw 18 K’ayab, accordingly 584286 CC this is Julian October 26, 1038, exactly heliacal rising of the Venus. Victor Talakh, Kiev
There is a slight numerical error in the paper (page 4), it does not affect the count, though. The number of days in 16 Katuns is 115200, and not 115000. The total at the bottom of the equation gives the correct number of 1704204 days.