Ancient Maya documents concerning the movements of Mars

A large part of the pre-Columbian Maya book known as the Dresden Codex is concerned with an exploration of commensurate relationships among celestial cycles and their relationship to other, nonastronomical cycles of cultural interest. As has long been known, pages 43b–45b of the Codex are concerned with the synodic cycle of Mars. New work reported here with another part of the Codex, a complex table on pages 69–74, reveals a concern on the part of the ancient Maya astronomers with the sidereal motion of Mars as well as with its synodic cycle. Two kinds of empiric sidereal intervals of Mars were used, a long one (702 days) that included a retrograde loop and a short one that did not. The use of these intervals, which is indicated by the documents in the Dresden Codex, permitted the tracking of Mars across the zodiac and the relating of its movements to the terrestrial seasons and to the 260-day sacred calendar. While Kepler solved the sidereal problem of Mars by proposing an elliptical heliocentric orbit, anonymous but equally ingenious Maya astronomers discovered a pair of time cycles that not only accurately described the planet's motion, but also related it to other cosmic and terrestrial concerns.

Complexion : Natür vnd Eigenschafft eines yeden Menschen zü erfaren, auch seiner Gebürtstund vnnd Zeychen, ... auss zü rechnen.

Signatures: A-D⁴ (16 leaves).

Journey through Greece and the Ionian Islands, in June, July, and August, 1821 /

"A journey in Egypt, by M. Lelorrain; and Observations on the circular zodiac of Denderah, by M. Saulnier": p. [75]-96.

[Fragmenta varia graeca]

Collection of Greek texts from 14 distinct manuscripts; 15th century and later.

A historical view of the Hindu astronomy, from the earliest dawn of that science in India to the present time. In two parts. Part I. The ancient astronomy. Part II. The modern astronomy, with an explanation of the apparent cause of its introduction, and the various impositions that followed. To which are added, I. Hindu tables of equations. II. Remarks on the Chinese astronomy. III. Translations of certain hieroglyphics, called the Zodiacs of Dendera.

Mode of access: Internet.

Origine de tous les cultes : ou, Religion universelle /

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Origine de tous les cultes : ou, Religion universelle.

Imperfect: atlas wanting.

Abrégé de l'Origine de tous les cultes /

"Notice sur la vie et les ouvrges de Dupuis" p. 6-16.

Many inventions.

The disturber of traffic.- A conference of the powers.- My lord the elephant.- One view of the question.- 'The finest story in the world'.- His private honour.- A matter of fact.- The lost legion.- In the rukh.- 'Brugglesmith'.- 'Love-o'-women'.- The record of Badalia Herodsfoot.- Judson and the empire.- The children of the zodiac.- Envoy.