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What?s going to happen on December 21, 2012?

The winter solstice in 2012 is the end of the current Mayan calendar cycle. There are lots of theories about what will happen on this date. Will all life on Earth end? Will humans reach a higher spiritual plane? Will visitors from another planet arrive? Noted Mayan expert Mark Heley leads you through all the theories and debates surrounding this mysterious event. He takes a reasoned approach to the subject, relying on astronomy and climate changes, rather than myths and stories.

This book features fascinating information, including:

• The Mayan cyclical view of time
• Modern interpretations of prophecies and predictions of rapid change
• Galactic alignment and Mayan theories on the origin of the universe
• Earth changes, the fall of civilizations, and apocalyptic theories

Customer Reviews (3)

Everything 2012
This is an interesting read. There is good coverage of the facts and myths about 2012. For a good overview of the topic I would recommend reading this book.

A last the facts
I have been interested in the subject of 2012 for many years and have read just about everything there is on it. However, despite all the reading I was still unsure what was speculation and what was fact. This book told me. With this single book I could have dispensed with my entire library on the subject.
I bought the book largely because of Geoff Stray's review. I have long been an admirer of Mr Stray's website (search for diagnosis) and his definitive knowledge of the Mayan calendar. And, like Mr Stray, I cannot recommend it enough. The book covers just about everything that relates to 2012 from the Mayan calendar to the latest scientific research and it does it in an extremely readable fashion.
The book's pièce de résistance, however, is in the final few chapters where the author talks about what will definitely happen, what might happen and what will not happen and offers some ideas to help us survive and prosper.
I found this section of the book extremely inspiring. Indeed as a long-time devotee of increased consciousness, evolution and New Age thinking (or a complete space cadet -- you choose) it galvanized many insights and perceptions I have gained over more than 40 years of regular meditation and inspired me to do something to try to help whatever happens happen in a way we would all wish. If you wish to see how this inspiration has manifested itself, please search for projectglobalbrain.
This is an extremely readable book that is packed full of information based on fact rather than speculation. And there are not many books in this subject area that you can say that about. Highly recommended.

A Brilliant Summary
Mark Heley's book is an excellent piece of work. It is very well written, leading logically forward from one topic to the next, getting more and more fascinating as it goes on. The second half of the book was for me most interesting, since Heley gets into the latest research and discoveries. The plasma research leads on well from the material covered in Beyond 2012 Catastrophe or Ecstasy, and Heley is not afraid to explore the most plausible of the Earth-change ideas, but ultimately comes to a very uplifting and optimistic conclusion about the forthcoming changes on this planet. You will not be disappointed in this book - it caters for the novice and also those of us who already are well-read on the topic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Your Travel Guide to Ancient Mayan Civilization
It is a great book.It's written as if it was a culture you could observe today, with tips and what to avoid, etc. Witty, great information throughout, especially the text boxes.Highly recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about the Mayan culture. ... Read more

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Multi-disciplinary research into the archaeology and history of ancient Copan, this book will serve as a useful reference for those interested in New World complex societies. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Another Mine of Info
Like many of the books in this series, this book packs a lot of info in a little format. Well illustrated and a good reference or intro to ancient calendars.

Concise, Interesting, & Mayan Astrological Signs
I was looking for a concise history of the Mayans and calendars and found it and more within the pages of this book. Finding a section in the back of the book that allows the reader to find the Mayan astrological birth signs was a nice surprise.
This is a good source for students seeking research materials and anyone who finds the Mayans and calendars interesting.

Wonderful little book!
This small but wonder filled book will delight any enthusiast of Mayan studies, as well as those interested in ancient calendars far and wide.

The cover is exquisite.It is beautifully rendered and will grace any book shelf.This is a book to keep handy for friends and guests will enjoy this truly charming addition to the library. ... Read more

Product Description
Here's an exciting, hands-on collection of ideas and activities designed to introduce students to the life of the ancient Mayans and Aztecs.

Ancient history will come to life for students as they write number glyphs using the code of the Maya, design their own battle uniforms using ideas from the Aztecs and learn about the diet, work, entertainment, worship and warfare of these people who were the forerunners of modern Mexico. They'll discover the fierce side of both cultures and their preoccupation with blood and death.

Students will begin to understand why the Mayans and Aztecs lived as they did and how a European desire to discover gold in the new world brought an end to their vibrant civilizations. A variety of creative activities are included to involve students in exploring these ancient peoples for themselves. ... Read more

Product Description
Nearly 4,000 years ago, in the tropical rain forest of Central America, the Mayan culture began to emerge. From small farming villages, the Mayan civilization grew into vast urban metropolises. Without the use of the wheel or metal tools and with no work animals, the Mayas constructed five-story buildings, ornate temples, and 200-foot-tall pyramids out of stone. The Mayas had complex calendars, were expert astronomers and mathematicians, and played the world s first team sport. Enter the world of the Mayas and discover how this advanced civilization developed into cities with populations reaching nearly 100,000, and then how it mysteriously disappeared. Find out how the Mayas built their homes, raised their children, made food and clothing and worshiped their gods. Learn how they healed the sick, and how they played their ball games to the death. ... Read more

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This book examines the development of the principal styles of ancient American architecture, sculpture, and painting until the end of the Aztec and Inca empires in the 16th century. The book tries to explain works of art as such, rather than dwelling upon those ideas about civilization which art is often made to illustrate in books of a more archaeological character. The book is arranged by geographical regions in three main divisions: Mexico, Central America and western South America. Architecture, sculpture and painting occupy most of the volume, but town planning, pottery, textiles and jewellery are also discussed. Many of the illustrations portray little known sites, buildings and objects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Get your Books early!
Amazon did really well on the shape of the book.But it took about 3 to four weeks to get the book, since they were back ordered.The price was one of the cheapest to the other buyers.

Great seller. VERY Fast shipping. Book in PERFECT condition.
Definitely recommend! The book was in BETTER condition than described. FAST shipping!!! Great seller! Will return when I need more books. A++ ... Read more

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mayan learning for kids
I have been trying to find a book on Mayan history since my husband and I returned from Mexico. This was one of three it seems ever written on the subject. I must have made a mistake when ordering this book because it is clearly writen for children. It was very simple. If you want abasic, somewhat imformative book for older children this is it. ... Read more

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This is an anthropological study of the role of hieroglyphic writing in the prehispanic Aztec, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Maya states. First, Joyce Marcus compares the four systems with regard to eight major themes: calendrics, the naming of nobles, the naming of places, royal marriages, accession to the throne, divine ancestors, warfare, and the rewriting of history. Then she establishes a new theoretical framework within which to conduct further analysis. Her basic contention is that ancient Mesoamerican writing was a tool used by an elite minority in their competition for positions of leadership, prestige, territory, tribute, and advantageous marriages. Marcus convincingly demonstrates that while it may have been based on actual persons and events, this body of prehistoric writing is a deliberately created tangle of what we could call propaganda, myth, and fact, written for political purposes, and not (as many contemporary scholars have come to believe) reliable "history" in a modern sense. "This is a major contribution. The scholarship is first-rate!"--Jeremy A. Sabloff, University of Pittsburgh "A brilliant work, carefully reasoned and effectively argued, but balanced and not overstated. The scholarship is truly outstanding. Joyce Marcus is one of the great Mesoamericanists of our generation."--E. Wyllys Andrews V, Tulane University "A masterful piece of work. We are in the presence of a tour de force."--Robert L. Carneiro, American Museum of Natural History ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ancient Mesoamerican Writing and What It Tells Us
Marcus's volume is the most comprehensive book on the market in the field of Mesoamerican epigraphy, the study of ancient writing systems among four high cultures that arose in what was later to become Mexico and Guatemala: the Aztec, Zapotec, Mixtec, and Maya.Marcus is recognized as one of the preeminent scholars of these early writing systems, with a pedigree that includes having studied with perhaps the greatest of the Mesoamerican epigraphers, Tatiana Proskouriakoff.Marcus also is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, which indicates the esteem with which she is held by her peers.Thus she is more than capable of pushing the field of Mesoamerican epigraphy forward, and the present volume demonstrates adequately that she has done so.Unlike some modern epigraphers, Marcus casts a wary eye on the literal nature of the hieroglyphic notations contained in the various texts, a caution reflected in the subtitle of the book.In short, she views Mesoamerican writing systems as part propaganda, part myth, and part history; thus, as she states, it was both a tool and a by-product of competition for prestige and leadership positions.

The volume includes 12 chapters that integrate various topics such as the nature of Mesoamerican calendars, royal marriages, place names, and ancestors-a much better format than arranging the book strictly by cultural group.The greatest strength of the book lies in clarity of presentation and the inclusion of several hundred line drawings of examples of glyphs.The drawings make it easy to follow Marcus's discussion of things such as the various Mesoamerican calendars in use throughout Mesoamerica.

I recommend the volume to anyone with an interest in calendrics, epigraphy, and/or Mesoamerican archaeology, from the advanced undergraduate to the professional as well as members of the general public.Anyone except experts will have to be willing to work a little bit to fully comprehend Marcus's explanations of the writing systems, but the task is not as daunting as it seems.All in all, a five-star treatise. ... Read more

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The Mayan pyramids that stand today on the Yucatan Peninsula are a stunning reminder of a powerful civilization that ruled the people of southern Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize for more than 6,000 years. The Mayans comprehensively explores the politics and culture of the Mayan Empire in vivid detail from 1500 BC to the 16th-century arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. (20010601) ... Read more

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It may have been an honor to be a Mayan soothsayer's apprentice, but it wasn't always fun.In addition to studying, you'd have to do all kinds of unpleasant jobs - like taste unappetizing food, pierce holes in royal tongues, and preside over human sacrifices. ... Read more

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A significant work by one of anthropology's most important scholars, this book provides an introduction to the Chiapas Mayan community of Mexico, better known for their role in the Zapatista Rebellion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The best single book on the background to the Zapatista movement
I've lived in Chiapas for nine years, and have read extensively on its history, in addition to hearing and recording the oral histories of Indigenous friends. Ms. Nash's book communicates (with extensive references) the most important threads of that history. She shows how it relates to autonomy movements like the Zapatistas. She also explains the role of the Zapatistas as one of many local antiglobalization movements in a worldwide network.

I think that any inquiring foreigner who lives long in Chiapas eventually says, "Chiapas is a hall of mirrors, and all I'll ever hear about the political/social situation is that fraction of the truth that aids the speaker's agenda". Ms. Nash is a refreshing change: she's an advocate for the Indigenous here, but she advocates for them honestly. For example, she spent years living in the Tseltal town of Amatenango, and unlike the glib tour guides here, she does not cover up the domestic brutality and the high incidence of murder, especially that related to accusations of witchcraft. However, she also notes that this internecine strife is partly the result of the dominant society's policies that broke up the Indigenous communities' regional social networks, and turned each community inward in a fear-ridden, zero-sum-game struggle for bare subsistence.

Ms. Nash's book does take effort to read. It seems to have been written with the recognition that other academics (and anti-Zapatista laymen) may try to pick it apart. But anyone who wants to understand the situation here will find it worth the effort.

Good, but in need of editing
This book has wonderful ideas, but is written so poorly that it takes forever to read.It is plagued with redundant academic jargon, and ridiculous sentence structures.Hopefully the publisher (or author) will correct this in a future edition. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Arts & Activities, published by Publishers' Development Corporation on November 1, 2009. The length of the article is 1373 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ancient Mayan glyphs.(INTEGRATING the curriculum)
Author: Ellen McNally
Publication: Arts & Activities (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2009
Publisher: Publishers' Development Corporation
Volume: 146Issue: 3Page: 32(3)

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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In this approaching moment oftransformation that is heralded bythe end of the Mayan calendar andHopi prophecy, it is imperative thatwe begin to remember......Did human history really begin 6,000years ago with the birth of Sumeria, or dothe beliefs of ancient peoples like the Hopiand the Maya emanate from stories thathave been kept hidden for thousands ofyears?THE FIFTH WORLD, by A.J. Ferrara, reveals the nature of our galactic heritage and of ancient Earth civilizations, as viewed throughthe multi-dimensional portal of The Great Pyramid. View events from before the birthing of our universe, learn the origins of long-forgotten Earth cultures and their ancient customs and the future potentials that face humanity, as the end of the Mayan calendar approaches in 2012. ... Read more

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Until about forty years ago, the ancient Maya hieroglyphics and the world they described remained virtually indecipherable.Now Secrets in Stone takes readers into the world of the ancient Maya code and explains how it was deciphered and what it all means.Not only is this the first book on the subject for children, this book also comes with its very own UV-raised "Glyphmaster," which allows budding archaeologists to create glyph rubbings, just like real archaeologists, Ancient Egyptians hueroglyphics have long captivated the interest of children.Now, inquisitive minds will relish developing their own secret codes and messages with over fifty Maya hieroglyphs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Learn All About Mayan Hieroglyphs!
This is a great book for introducing children and others about hieroglyphics.I thought it was great for myself even.The book tells the history of diciphering the Mayan hieroglyphs.While the Egyptian hieroglyphs had the Rosetta Stone, there was no Rosetta stone for the Mayan.Archeologists needed to learn how to count and tell time, then went from there.Very interesting.

Great Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphics!
My 5 yo daughter pulled this off the shelf of our local library and said, "I want to read about Egypt."I glanced at the book and almost put it back when I saw what the topic really was.But, then I decided, "Hey, if she thinks it looks interesting, let's read it."Surprise!My 8 yo, she, and I all loved the book!We checked it out again recently, and my older child (who is now 9) devoured it in one sitting.

Learning how to read the hieroglyphs is a blast, and I loved the puzzles that the author sets for the reader.He has you find particular hieroglyphs in actual Maya inscriptions.I have seen some of the Maya ruins and loved them long before this book was published, but this book adds so much depth to the study of Maya history.

Plus, the book has raised hieroglyphs on the inside covers.You can then make rubbings of the hieroglyphs to form different words.A great purchase!

It's alright..
well done, but I could have done without the part about burning blood as a sacrafice. Also the story about the vampire bat.My daughter is in third grade,I am not sure if that story would scare her, but it certainly is not necessary. Seems to me like the author added some gore just to keep older kids reading. The book is well done, I would have liked to have given it 5 stars. ... Read more