Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality And 21st Century Archaeology

Dr. Schuldenrein responds to representations of the Mayans and their calendar that have emerged in recent months in anticipation of the supposed end of days on December 12, 2012. In particular, our host explores how concepts deriving from the world of archaeology and grounded in scientific fact are misinterpreted, misunderstood and misapplied by the media and consumed by popular culture. Instead, learn what archaeologists really know about the Mayans and their culture, including their sophisticated understanding of astronomy and their complex notions of life cycles and time. Stay tuned to find out what the supposed armageddon date of 12/12/12 actually signifies on the Mayan Calendar and how popular culture got it so wrong.