How to Use Mayan Calendar Converter
Choose the Gregorian date you want to convert. The Mayan Calendar Converter turns that date into a Julian day number, subtracts the GMT correlation constant, and then displays three related Maya calendar forms: Long Count, Tzolkin, and Haab.
Read the Long Count as a five-part count of baktun, katun, tun, uinal, and kin. Then compare the Tzolkin sacred-calendar name and the Haab civil-calendar position. These three outputs describe the same day from different Maya calendar systems.
Formula & Theory - Mayan Calendar Converter
The conversion starts with the Julian day number for the selected Gregorian date:
Maya day number = Julian day number - 584283
Long Count = baktun.katun.tun.uinal.kin
Tzolkin = day number mod 260
Haab = day number mod 365A baktun is 144,000 days, a katun is 7,200 days, a tun is 360 days, a uinal is 20 days, and a kin is 1 day. The Tzolkin combines a number cycle and a 20-name cycle, while Haab combines month names with day positions in a 365-day civil year.
Calendar correlation is the important historical assumption. The GMT constant is widely used, but specialized scholarship may discuss alternatives for particular contexts.
Use Cases for Mayan Calendar Converter
- History lessons - Show how one Gregorian date appears across Maya calendar systems.
- Museum notes - Label dates with Long Count and cycle names for cultural interpretation.
- Calendar comparison - Demonstrate how linear day counts and repeating cycles can describe the same date.
Use the converter for educational and interpretive work, and cite the GMT correlation when presenting results in a formal setting.