WLKY Investigates: Mayan Prophecy

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A rogue planet hits Earth, the Yellowstone super volcano erupts or a catastrophic alignment of the Earth, Sun and Milky Way, those are just a few of the 2012 doomsday scenarios. Most revolve around the Mayan calendar.

Author Carl Calleman believes the Mayan calendar ends Friday, but the date heard most is Dec. 21, 2012.

Exactly what, if anything, is going to happen on that day remains up for debate.

An earthquake and tsunami claimed thousands of lives in Japan, one of the most damaging floods ever occurred along the Mississippi River and the worst outbreak of tornadoes in the U.S. in decades killed more than 540 people this year.

Doomsdayers said these are signs the end is near and they've joined a chorus of others who believe the Maya predicted the day it will happen. Theirs was a civilization that flourished between 300 to 900 A.D. and at one time numbered in the millions.

“The Maya lived in several different countries, parts of Mexico, all of Guatemala, Belize, parts of El Salvador, parts of Honduras,” said University of Kentucky professor Dr. Scott Hutson.

Hutson is an expert on the Maya. He said they are known as accomplished astronomers and mathematicians.

“A lot of experts point out the Maya knew the cycles of the Moon and Venus to a greater degree of accuracy than anyone in Europe at the time to day 1,500 years ago,” Hutson.

Important temples and monuments were aligned according to the movements of celestial bodies. Knowledge of the heavens meant power.

“Astrology was a strategy by which the kings could gain authority,” Hutson said.

For many the only interest in the Maya is their long count calendar which, after a more than 5,100 year cycle, ends on Dec. 21, 2012.

“The Egyptians, the Aztecs, the Mayans, Hopi Indians, they've all looked to the sky and saw this prediction coming,” said Web designer John Kehne.

For the past six years, Kehne, who lives just outside Louisville, has maintained what he called the "official website for 2012.” It averages about 5 million page views a month and includes information on survival.

“Some people are going to say, ‘He's just in it to make a buck.’ It didn't start like that. It was just a hobby,” Kehne said.

Kehne said people send him all kinds of 2012 related items. Hundreds of books have been written about the Maya prophecy, there's a 2012 beer, medallions, seeds packaged for doomsday, along with a bottle of Crystal Head vodka endorsed by actor-comedian Dan Aykroyd.

“I don't know if we should be scared to death. I think we should be concerned much, like the weatherman who says conditions are right. Conditions are very right,” Kehne said.

California-based Vivos is building survival communities. Vivos said one will be in Indiana, but the company won't say where. The price of the Hoosier shelter is $35,000 per person.

Why have so many put so much into 2012 prophecy? Dr. Timothy Paul Jones teaches at the Southern Baptist Seminary.

“Truth be told, we like to live under the illusion in all areas of our life, we like to know what's going to happen,” Jones said.

Christian broadcaster Harold Camping said the world would end on May 21, 2011. When it didn't happen, he recalculated making the end Oct. 21, 2011.

“There have been people in every age, every era of Christianity in particular, who have seen the events of their time and said the end is coming,” Jones said.

Hutson points out the Maya's long-count calendar said nothing about the end of creation.

“What are the circumstances in our contemporary society that would cause somebody to believe that they have to bunker themselves for this special date that we really don't have any knowledge about from the ancient Maya,” Hutson said.

Safe In Kentucky?

Journalist Lawrence Joseph forecasts widespread catastrophe. He suggested a central Kentucky community may be the safest place to ride out the storm. Joseph suggested Berea embodies Mayan values.

Berea real estate agent Phil Malicote said he’s received inquiries.

“Some serious, some lighthearted. I've had some local people call and cut up about it, but there have been some serious calls as well,” Malicote said.

Others believe it's a small town in France. It's not a shelter, but some believe a sacred mountain in southwestern France will provide refuge.

The two hundred residents of Bucharach fear thousands will descend on their small town.

Dispelling The Prophecy

But, is the world really in peril?

“The calendar doesn't predict. The calendar just counts,” said Southwestern University professor Mark Van Stone.

Van Stone is an expert on Maya hieroglyphs. He has analyzed their encryptions and written a book about them.

“I do know I have looked very hard for evidence they said something about an end or resetting of the calendar,” Van Stone said.

Dec. 21, 2012 is the day of the winter solstice.

“As we go into fall, the sun drops a little lower and the slot gets a little longer. Finally the day of the winter solstice, the slot is out here,” said University of Louisville astronomer and physicist John Kielkopf.

Kielkopf helped design the Rauch Planetarium on the Belknap Campus. He said there will be increased solar activity in the coming months.

“It's very likely sometime in that time frame there will be a solar flare and extra aurora. You can make anything you want out of it, doesn't have anything to do with the Maya calendar,” Kielkopf said.

Hutson said thousands of texts were inscribed on monuments or painted on ceramic pots.

“Of those thousands of texts, there is one text that mentions the date 2012. But, we aren't sure what it says, probably eroded,” Hutson said.

Doomsdayers contend the Maya prophecy is backed up by ancient oracles and shamans, even tying it to the Bible. Jones is considered a bible myth buster.

“There's not specifics given in the scripture and I think intentionally so. It's be ready in every age and at every time for when the end will come,” Jones said.

NASA has even gone on record to dispel some of the doomsday scenarios. The space agency compares the 2012 hysteria to Y2K scare.

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