Quiz on Mayan Astronomy

What did some priests in the Maya civilization do?

• They wrote books.

• They created sculptures.

• They built pyramids.

• They were expert astronomers.

How many days did the Maya calculate there were in a year?

• 360 days

• 365 days

• 366 days

• 365.2420 days

What is the name of the Maya calendar that is 260 days long?

• Solar Calendar

• Sacred Round

• Lunar Calendar

• Equinox Calendar

How many months did the Maya divide their year into?

• 18 months

• 10 months

• 12 months

• 14 months

What did the Maya use to determine favorable days for planting?

• The stars

• The weather

• The seasons

• The moon

What happens at the Maya site Chichén Itzá during the equinoxes?

• The pyramids glow.

• A serpent shadow appears.

• The sun sets.

• A festival is held.

What did the Maya lack that modern astronomers have?

• Telescopes

• Knowledge

• Calendars

• Stars

What was the purpose of the Sacred Round calendar?

• To track religious holidays

• To measure time

• To plan agriculture

• To record history

What were Maya people very knowledgeable about?

• Architecture, painting, and computers

• Literature, philosophy, and music
• Cooking, fashion, and sports
• Astronomy, mathematics, and agriculture

The Maya people were able to make very precise observations of the stars.

What evidence from the text supports this statement?

• Maya astronomers created another calendar called the Sacred Round. This calendar was 260 days long and was used to keep track of religious holidays and other important events.

• The Maya, working without scientific tools, calculated that there were 365.2420 days in a year. Modern astronomers used modern technology to measure the year at 365.2422 days!

• The Maya, of course, did not have telescopes, computers, or satellites. They didn’t even have the wheel. All they had were their own eyes.

• Because the Maya had two calendars, each day had two names. One name came from the Sacred Round and the other from the solar calendar. This also meant that all Maya people had two birthdays.Because the Maya had two calendars, each day had two names. One name came from the Sacred Round and the other from the solar calendar. This also meant that all Maya people had two birthdays.