Solstices and especially equinoxes have a very special place in the Mayan religion and culture. As the Mayans relied a lot on the sun in their cosmology and beliefs, each solstice and equinox celebrate a special time or renewal during the year. Learn more about this in the following article ! What is a solstice and an equinox ? Solstice The word “solstice” derives from the Latin words “sol” : Sun, and “sistere” : to stand still. Solstice happens twice during the year, when the sun reaches its highest point during the solstice summer, or its lowest point during the winter solstice. Due to the sun’s position twice during the year, the Northern Hemisphere will know the winter solstice on December 21st or 22nd, marking the beginning of the winter while the summer solstice, introducing summer, will occur on June 20th or 21st. However, the situation is the exact opposite for the Southern Hemisphere as seasons are reversed. Equinox The word “equinox” derives from the Latin words “aequus” : equal, and “nox” : night. Equinoxes also happen twice a year, but unlike the solstice, they mark two times of the year during which daytime and nighttime are equals. This phenomenon, happening twice a year, is the result of the sun’s position above the equator. Thus, the Northern Hemisphere will know the autumn equinox between the 21st and 23rd of September while the spring equinox occurs generally on March 20th or 21st. just like the solstices, as the seasons are reversed, the Southern Hemisphere will know its spring equinox in September and the autumn equinox in March. The sun and the sky in the mayan religion and hierarchy The Mayans attached a huge importance to the sun for their daily life and religious beliefs. Indeed, they believed
Solstices and especially equinoxes have a very special place in the Mayan religion and culture. As the Mayans relied a lot on the sun in their cosmology and beliefs, each solstice and equinox celebrate a special time or renewal during the year. Learn more about this in the following article !
