JOHN MAJOR JENKINS, - Maya Cosmogenesis 2012: The True Meaning of the Maya Calendar End-Date. <

Bear & Co., 1998. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall, Softcover, Soft Cover, No Jacket, New. ¶ 1998. 423p. The Maya Long Count calendar, a complex system for measuring time, was developed around 2000 years ago, possibly at the pre-Maya site of Izapa in southern Mexico. Jenkins, an independent researcher, presents a wealth of information about Maya astronomy, mythology, and calendrics in support of his analysis of the Long Count calendar end-date, scheduled to occur on December 21, 2012. Providing evidence that the end-date corresponds with a rare alignment of our solar system, Jenkins contends that the Maya were aware of this celestial event and believed that it portended a dramatic rebirth for humanity. Jenkins explains how the Maya mapped the movements of the Earth, including precession, and incorporated their measurements into their calendars. Good illustrations, maps, and an extensive bibliography complement this detailed work.