The Last Mayan Date of Recreation of the World

Understanding the Significance of 13.0.0.0.0 – 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u

The ancient Maya civilization recorded history using a sophisticated calendrical system that included the Long Count, Tzolk’in, and Haab’. According to their cosmology, the current world era began on a specific sacred date known as 13.0.0.0.0, which marked the recreation of the world after a great flood. This event is often referred to as the “creation” date, though it more accurately reflects a reset or rebirth of time and cosmic order.

1. The Mayan Creation Date

The creation date in the Maya Long Count calendar is:

• 13.0.0.0.0
• Tzolk’in date: 4 Ajaw
• Haab’ date: 8 Kumk’u

This combination is unique in the Mayan calendar system and carries deep cosmological importance. The number 13 represents completion and perfection in the Mayan numerological system, while Ajaw symbolizes the sun, leadership, and divine power.

2. Correlation with the Gregorian Calendar

The equivalent date in the modern calendar depends on which correlation system is used to align the Mayan calendar with the Gregorian one. The most widely accepted is the GMT correlation (Goodman–Martínez–Thompson).

• Gregorian date: August 11, 3114 BCE
• Julian date: August 13, 3114 BCE

Occasionally, one sees the date rendered as August 12, 3113 BCE, but this results from inconsistent use of the Gregorian and Julian calendars or year-zero miscalculations.

3. Mythological Context

In the Maya Popol Vuh and other creation myths, the gods attempted to create humanity multiple times. The current world is believed to be the fourth or fifth creation, following previous worlds that ended in destruction, including by flood. The recreation on 13.0.0.0.0 represents the beginning of the present era, one in which the sun was finally set in motion, and humanity as we know it was established.

The act of setting the sun in motion, represented by 4 Ajaw, symbolically reflects the start of historical time—an era where divine cycles and human experience are intertwined.

4. Cyclical Time and the Return of 13.0.0.0.0

The Mayan worldview is cyclical, not linear. Every 13 baktuns (approximately 5,125 years), the Long Count resets to 13.0.0.0.0. This happened again on:

• December 21, 2012, according to the GMT correlation.

This led to widespread attention and speculation, though for the Maya, this was not an apocalyptic prediction but rather the end of one grand cycle and the beginning of another.

5. Significance

The date 13.0.0.0.0 – 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u represents:

1. The start of the current era of human civilization in Maya cosmology
2. A rebirth following catastrophe (such as the Flood)
3. The anchoring of the sun and the calendar, allowing divine order to unfold
4. A reference point for calculating historical and prophetic cycles

Rather than marking a beginning in the absolute sense, it signifies a re-creation following destruction, emphasizing the Maya view that time flows in repeating patterns of rise, collapse, and renewal.

Here is a table summarizing the Maya world cycles, based on the Long Count calendar structure and mythological sources. Each cycle spans 13 baktuns, or approximately 5,125 years.

The Maya texts mention at least four previous worlds before the current one, though not all are described in detail. What follows is a reconstruction using traditional mythology (mainly from the Popol Vuh) and astronomical calculation:

Cycle #	Start Date (Gregorian)	End Date (Gregorian)	Maya Long Count End	Destruction (per mythology)
1	~23,625 BCE	~18,500 BCE	13.0.0.0.0	Unknown (mythological only)
2	~18,500 BCE	~13,375 BCE	13.0.0.0.0	Unknown
3	~13,375 BCE	~8,250 BCE	13.0.0.0.0	Sky fell; humans destroyed
4	~8,250 BCE	August 11, 3114 BCE	13.0.0.0.0	Flood (water destruction)
5 (current)	August 11, 3114 BCE	December 21, 2012 CE	13.0.0.0.0	Cycle completion (not apocalyptic)
6	December 21, 2012 CE	~7137 CE	13.0.0.0.0	Not known

Notes:

1. Each cycle lasts 1,872,000 days or about 5,125.36 years.
2. The destruction themes for earlier cycles derive primarily from the K’iche’ Maya Popol Vuh and some Classic Period inscriptions:
   • First world: people of mud—dissolved
   • Second world: people of wood—destroyed by jaguars
   • Third world: people of maize who disrespected gods—sky fell, darkness
   • Fourth world: destroyed by a flood
3. The current fifth cycle (starting in 3114 BCE) ended numerically in 2012 CE but continues into a new era, not destruction, in traditional interpretations.
4. The term “world” here refers to mythological ages of humanity, not literal geological epochs.

The Long Count reset to 13.0.0.0.0 on December 21, 2012, and the cycle continues, consistent with Maya cyclical cosmology.

The end of the third world in Maya mythology is primarily preserved in the Popol Vuh, a K’iche’ Maya text from the highlands of Guatemala. While not written during the Classic Maya period, the Popol Vuh reflects widespread Mesoamerican traditions about cycles of creation and destruction, which align broadly with the Long Count calendar structure used in the lowland Maya world.

Summary of the Third World

• Inhabitants: People made of wood (tz’ite’)
• Problem: They lacked souls and understanding, did not worship the gods, and were disrespectful to creation
• Consequence: The gods decided to destroy them

Mythological Details of the Destruction

According to the Popol Vuh:

1. Animals turned against them
   • Their dogs, turkeys, and even cooking tools rebelled and attacked them.
   • These animals had been mistreated by humans and now exacted revenge.
2. Natural Catastrophes
   • The sky is said to have fallen, possibly referring to a cosmic disorder or the collapse of celestial order.
   • Heavy rains and floods may also be implied, though these are more clearly linked to the fourth world’s destruction.
3. Jaguars
   • In some versions and murals (e.g., from San Bartolo), jaguars appear as agents of divine punishment, possibly devouring the people.
4. Survivors turned into monkeys
   • Some of the wooden people fled into the forests and were transformed into monkeys, which explains their human-like behavior in Maya tradition.

Symbolic Interpretation

• The destruction represents a failed attempt at human creation.
• The wooden people lacked spirit (k’ulel)—they were functionally alive but not truly human in the Maya sense.
• The gods destroy them to prepare for a more successful creation in the fourth world.

Iconography and Inscriptions

• Some Classic Period inscriptions, such as those from Palenque, refer to events in mythical time, including cosmic events before 3114 BCE.
• A mural at San Bartolo (circa 100 BCE) may depict scenes from the myth of creation and the destruction of earlier humans, though interpretation is ongoing.

Chronology (reconstructed based on Long Count cycle theory)

• Start of third world: ~13,375 BCE
• End of third world: ~8,250 BCE
• Duration: ~5,125 years (1,872,000 days)

Key Features of Third World Destruction

Element	Description
Material of people	Wood
Reason for destruction	Lack of soul, irreverence, failure to worship
Agents of destruction	Animals, jaguars, tools, cosmic disorder
Aftermath	Some turned into monkeys

The myth reflects the Maya concept of sacred balance, where each creation must honor the gods and maintain cosmic order. Failure to do so leads to destruction and renewal.