Newfound Writings Debunk Maya Doomsday | On Assignment

Summary

National Geographic's Lucy McNeil explores Guatemala's northern rainforest to uncover ancient Maya civilization's secrets. Bill Saturno's team discovers a room with hidden numbers and calculations, revealing the Maya's advanced understanding of time cycles. Contrary to popular belief, these findings suggest the Maya did not predict the world would end in 2012, but instead viewed it as the start of a new cycle.

Takeaways

• 🗺️ The video discusses the ancient Maya civilization and their understanding of time cycles.
• 🌿 The setting is Guatemala's northern rainforest, where the ancient Maya city of Xultun is located.
• 🔍 National Geographic's Bill Saturno and his team have been conducting research in Xultun.
• 🏺 They discovered a small room that might have been a workspace for Maya scribes.
• 🎨 The room contained paintings and unfinished sketches, with one wall featuring numbers, calculations, and tables.
• 📅 Advanced photographic techniques revealed a hidden set of numbers referring to dates spanning seven thousand years.
• 🌟 The calculations contradict the popular myth that the Maya believed the world would end in December 2012.
• ⏳ The Maya viewed time as cyclical, with the end of one cycle marking the beginning of a new one.
• 🚗 The script uses the analogy of a car's odometer to explain how the Maya counted time cycles.
• 🌐 The video is part of National Geographic's 'On Assignment' series, linking viewers to their global expeditions.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the National Geographic assignment in Guatemala?

The main topic discussed is the discovery of an ancient Maya city in Guatemala, specifically a small room that may have been a workroom for Maya scribes, with paintings, sketches, and calculations on the walls.

Who is Bill Saturno and what is his role in the Guatemalan expedition?

Bill Saturno is a National Geographic explorer who has been working in the ancient Maya city of Xultun, leading a team that discovered a room with significant Maya artifacts and calculations.

What was found on the walls of the room discovered by Bill Saturno's team?

The walls of the room were covered with paintings and unfinished sketches, with one wall featuring numbers, calculations, and tables.

How were the hidden numbers and calculations revealed on the wall?

Advanced photographic techniques were used to reveal a hidden set of numbers and calculations on the wall.

What does the hidden set of numbers and calculations refer to?

The calculations refer to dates with durations of some seven thousand years, which contradict the popular belief that the Maya thought the world would end in December 2012.

How did the Maya view time cycles according to the script?

The Maya viewed time cycles similarly to how we view the odometers in cars, with each passing day causing the next digit to change, signifying the beginning of a new cycle rather than an end.

What is the significance of the Maya's view on time cycles as revealed by the script?

The significance lies in the fact that it challenges the popular misconception that the Maya believed the world would end in 2012, instead showing that they saw it as the start of a new cycle.

What is the connection between the Maya's counting system and the odometers of cars as mentioned in the script?

The connection is that both systems count in cycles, with the Maya's system having a digit 'click over' to the next digit at the end of a cycle, similar to how a car's odometer changes when reaching a significant milestone.

How does the script describe the Maya's reaction to the end of a cycle?

The script suggests that the Maya would rejoice at the end of a cycle, similar to how we might celebrate reaching a hundred thousand miles on a car's odometer.

What is the National Geographic on Assignment program mentioned in the script?

National Geographic on Assignment is a program that links viewers to thousands of NatGeo expeditions around the globe, providing insights into the discoveries and work of explorers like Bill Saturno.

How does the script conclude the discussion about the Maya calendar and its implications?

The script concludes by emphasizing that the Maya did not see the end of a cycle as a world-ending event, but rather as a cause for celebration and the beginning of a new cycle.