View source for Kʼatun

{{Short description|Unit of time in the Mayan calendar equal to 7200 days (~20 years)}}
A '''''kʼatun''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɑː|t|uː|n}},<ref>{{OED|katun}}</ref> {{IPA-myn|kʼaˈtun}}) is a unit of time in the [[Maya calendar]] equal to 20 ''[[Tun (Maya calendar)|tun]]s'' or 7200 days, equivalent to 19.713 [[tropical year]]s. It is the second digit on the normal [[Maya civilization|Maya]] [[Mesoamerican Long Count calendar|long count]] date. For example, in the Maya Long Count date 12.19.13.15.12 (December 5, 2006), the number 19 is the ''kʼatun''. There are 20 ''k'atuns'' in a ''[[baktun]]''.
The end of a kʼatun was marked by numerous ceremonies and, at [[Tikal]], the construction of large [[twin pyramid complex]]es to host them.<ref>{{harvnb|Martin|Grube|2000|p=51}}</ref> The kʼatun was also used to reckon the age of rulers. Those who lived to see four (or five) kʼatuns would take the title 4-(or 5-)kʼatun ruler.<ref>{{harvnb|Coe|1992|p=180}}</ref> In the [[Postclassic]] period when the full Long Count gave way to the [[Maya calendar#Short Count|Short Count]], the Maya continued to keep a reckoning of kʼatuns, differentiating them by the [[Calendar Round]] date on which they began. Each kʼatun had its own set of prophecies and associations.<ref>{{harvnb|Schele|Freidel|1990|p=400}}</ref>
==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
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* {{cite book|last=Coe|first=Michael D.|author-link=Michael D. Coe|year=1992|title=Breaking the Maya Code|location=London|publisher=[[Thames & Hudson]]|isbn=0-500-05061-9|oclc=26605966|url=https://archive.org/details/breakingmayacode00coem_0}}
* {{cite book|last=Martin|first=Simon|author-link=Simon Martin (Mayanist)|first2=Nikolai|last2=Grube|author2-link=Nikolai Grube|year=2000|title=Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya|publisher=[[Thames & Hudson]]|location=London and New York|isbn=0-500-05103-8|oclc=47358325|url=https://archive.org/details/chronicleofmayak00mart}}
* {{cite book|last1=Schele|first1=Linda|author-link=Linda Schele|first2=David|last2=Freidel|year=1990|title=A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya|publisher=William Morrow|location=New York|isbn=0-688-07456-1|oclc=21295769|url=https://archive.org/details/forestofkingsunt0034sche}}
{{refend}}<!-- END biblio format style --> <!-- End ref indent style -->
{{Maya}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Katun}}
[[Category:Maya calendars]]
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