We invite you to join our latest Special Event, World of the Maya: Cycles of Time. This unique symposium and travel event focuses on the fascinating world of time and its place in Maya culture, as we celebrate the impending cyclic renewal of the Maya calendar. This is a special opportunity to explore the mysteries of the Maya—and to travel with some of the legendary figures in Maya studies as they share their wealth of knowledge in engaging presentations and informal talks.

On December 21, 2012, after 13 baktuns (5,126 years), the great cycle of the Maya Long Count calendar begins anew. The meaning of this event is widely debated, but we know that the Maya had a compelling and remarkably advanced vision of time, so this momentous change would have had great significance for them. Our symposium, limited to just 80 participants, offers extraordinary access to renowned Mayanist scholars as they share lively talks on Maya calendars, codices, astronomy, and archaeology,  and escort us on in-depth excursions to some of the most wonderful sites of the northern Yucatan.

If you’ve ever been intrigued by the history and culture of the Maya, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We hope you will join us!

The Guest Speakers

Dr. Anthony Aveni, a pioneer in Mesoamerican archaeoastronomy, is the Russell B. Colgate Professor of Astronomy and Anthropology at Colgate University and author of over two dozen books, including the recent The End of Time: the Maya Mysteries of 2012.

Dr. Susan Milbrath, Curator of Latin American Art and Archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History and Affiliate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Florida, is a specialist in archaeoastronomy and its links with Maya art and architecture. Her books include Star Gods of the Maya: Astronomy in Art, Folklore, and Calendars.

Dr. Harvey Bricker and Dr. Victoria Bricker are Professors Emeritus of Anthropology at Tulane University and Research Associates at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Dr. Harvey Bricker has researched Maya archaeoastronomy since the early 1980s and is co-author, with Victoria Bricker, of Astronomy in the Maya Codices. Dr. Victoria Bricker, author of eight books on Maya ethnology, epigraphy, folklore, and linguistics, began her study of Maya epigraphy in 1978.

Dr. Karl Taube, Professor of Anthropology at the University of California at Riverside, has authored numerous publications on ancient writing and religious systems including Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. He has a strong interest in the relation of the Classic Maya to Teotihuacán and central Mexico.

Alfonso Morales is an archaeologist with more than 30 years experience studying the Maya. A PhD candidate in the Institute of Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, he has excavated at Copán and Caracol, and was the Principal Investigator of the Palenque Cross Group, where his excavations resulted in important new discoveries.

Itinerary at a Glance

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

The Symposium

To celebrate the monumental transition in the Maya calendar, our symposium focuses on Maya timekeeping, astronomy, and archaeology, and takes place at beautiful Uxmal, with its soaring Piramide del Adivino (“Pyramid of the Magician”) and grand Palace of the Governor, precisely aligned with the path of the planet Venus. We make the most of Uxmal’s extraordinary treasury of art and architecture, interweaving presentations by our Guest Speakers with fascinating visits to Uxmal and the nearby Puuc sites of Kabah, Sayil, and Labna. This is an extraordinary opportunity to learn from some of the world’s most renowned Maya scholars.

Post-Symposium Tours

Uxmal to Lamanai with Dr. Susan Milbrath
Highlights: Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum, Cerros, Lamanai

Uxmal to Copan with Dr. Anthony Aveni
Highlights: Palenque, Tikal, Livingston, Quirigua, Copan

Uxmal to Tikal with Drs. Harvey & Victoria Bricker
Highlights: Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, Tikal

Uxmal to Palenque with Alfonso Morales
Highlights: Edzna, Calakmul, Palenque, Bonampak

Uxmal to Teotihuacan with Dr. Karl Taube
Highlights: Cholula, Cacaxtla, Teotihuacan, Mexico City

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure