Mayan Calendar Converter - Gregorian to Mayan Date
Convert any Gregorian date to the Mayan Long Count, Tzolkin, and Haab calendars — or convert Mayan dates back to their Gregorian equivalents.
Select the conversion direction, enter your date, and instantly see the full Mayan calendar representation including Long Count, Tzolkin sacred round, and Haab solar calendar.
Mayan Calendar Converter - Gregorian to Mayan Date
Convert any Gregorian date to the Mayan Long Count, Tzolkin, and Haab calendars — or convert Mayan dates back to their Gregorian equivalents.
About the Mayan Calendar System
The Mayan calendar is one of the most intricate and precise timekeeping systems ever devised by an ancient civilization. Unlike the single linear calendar most people use today, the ancient Maya employed three interlocking calendar cycles simultaneously: the Tzolkin sacred calendar, the Haab solar calendar, and the Long Count linear timeline. Each served a distinct purpose, and together they created a temporal framework of extraordinary depth and accuracy.
The Long Count is a linear count of days from the Mayan creation date, which correlates to August 11, 3114 BCE in the proleptic Gregorian calendar (using the widely accepted GMT correlation constant of 584283). Dates are expressed in five units: Baktun (144,000 days), Katun (7,200 days), Tun (360 days), Uinal (20 days), and Kin (1 day). Written as baktun.katun.tun.uinal.kin, the famous date 13.0.0.0.0 corresponded to December 21, 2012 CE — the completion of the 13th Baktun and the start of a new great cycle, which was widely misinterpreted in popular media as a predicted apocalypse.
The Tzolkin, also called the Sacred Round or Ritual Calendar, is a 260-day cycle formed by combining 13 numbers (1–13) with 20 named days: Imix, Ik, Akbal, Kan, Chicchan, Cimi, Manik, Lamat, Muluc, Oc, Chuen, Eb, Ben, Ix, Men, Cib, Caban, Etznab, Cauac, and Ahau. The 260-day period was used for divination, naming ceremonies, and religious observances. It approximately matches the human gestation period and the agricultural planting cycle in parts of Mesoamerica.
The Haab is the 365-day solar calendar, consisting of 18 named months of 20 days each — Pop, Uo, Zip, Zotz, Tzec, Xul, Yaxkin, Mol, Chen, Yax, Zac, Ceh, Mac, Kankin, Muan, Pax, Kayab, and Cumku — followed by a 5-day intercalary period called Wayeb, which was considered an unlucky and dangerous time. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Haab does not include leap years, so it drifts about one day every four years relative to the actual solar year.
The Calendar Round is the combination of a Tzolkin date and a Haab date. Because the two cycles have lengths of 260 and 365 days whose LCM is 18,980 days (approximately 52 years), any given Calendar Round date repeats exactly once every 52 years. The Maya used the Calendar Round for most everyday dating purposes; the Long Count was reserved for historical inscriptions and astronomical calculations spanning centuries.
This converter uses the standard GMT correlation (584283) established by Goodman, Martínez, and Thompson. All dates are given in the proleptic Gregorian calendar for consistency across historical eras, following the astronomical convention where year 1 BCE is written as year 0 and 2 BCE as year -1.
Mayan Calendar Conversion Examples
Classic reference dates that illustrate the full Mayan calendar representation.
| Input Date | Mayan Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| December 21, 2012 CE | 13.0.0.0.0 · 4 Ahau · 3 Kankin | The famous end of the 13th Baktun. Marks the completion of a major great cycle in Mayan cosmology. |
| January 1, 2000 CE | 12.19.6.15.2 · 11 Ik · 10 Kankin | The start of the Gregorian millennium. The Mayan Long Count shows we were still in the 12th Baktun. |
| August 11, 3114 BCE (creation date) | 0.0.0.0.0 · 4 Ahau · 8 Cumku | The Mayan calendar epoch — the beginning of the current great cycle according to the GMT correlation. |
| October 12, 1492 CE | 11.13.12.4.4 · 3 Kan · 7 Zotz | Columbus arrives in the Americas. The Maya had been using their calendar continuously for over 3,600 years by this date. |
How to Use the Mayan Calendar Converter
- Choose the conversion direction: 'Gregorian → Mayan' to convert a modern date to the Mayan system, or 'Mayan → Gregorian' to convert a Long Count date to a Gregorian date.
- For Gregorian input, select or type a date in YYYY-MM-DD format. For Mayan input, enter the five Long Count components: Baktun, Katun, Tun, Uinal, and Kin.
- Click Convert. The result panel shows the Long Count notation, the Tzolkin sacred-round day name and number, and the Haab month and day position.
- The Calendar Round (Tzolkin + Haab combined) is displayed at the bottom — this is how dates were recorded in most everyday Mayan inscriptions.
- Use the example buttons to quickly load well-known historical dates and verify the conversion against published references.
Mayan Calendar FAQ
What is the GMT correlation and why does it matter?
The GMT correlation (constant 584283) is the scholarly consensus linking the Mayan Long Count to the Julian Day Number. It was established by Goodman, Martínez, and Thompson and is supported by astronomical records, colonial-era documents, and continued use of the Tzolkin by indigenous communities in Guatemala today. This converter uses the GMT correlation for all calculations.
Did the Mayan calendar predict the end of the world in 2012?
No. The date 13.0.0.0.0 (December 21, 2012) marked the end of the 13th Baktun and the beginning of a new great cycle — analogous to the odometer rolling over from 99,999 to 00,000. Maya scholars and indigenous communities have consistently stated that this was a celebratory occasion, not a prophecy of catastrophe.
Why does the Haab have only 365 days with no leap year?
The Maya were aware that the actual solar year is approximately 365.25 days, but the Haab was kept as a whole-number cycle of exactly 365 days for calendrical regularity. The Maya tracked the true solar year separately using the Haab in combination with astronomical observations and correction tables recorded in the Dresden Codex.
What is the Calendar Round and how long does it last?
The Calendar Round is the combined cycle of a Tzolkin date (260 days) and a Haab date (365 days). Because 260 × 365 ÷ GCD(260,365) = 18,980 days, any specific Tzolkin–Haab combination repeats every 18,980 days, approximately 52 years. The Maya used the Calendar Round for most historical dating, while the Long Count was reserved for longer spans.
How were the 20 Tzolkin day names used in Mayan culture?
Each of the 20 Tzolkin day names — Imix, Ik, Akbal, Kan, and so on — carried specific symbolic meanings and was associated with particular deities, animals, and ritual purposes. A person's Tzolkin birthday was considered their destiny sign and influenced their social role, occupation, and spiritual life throughout the Maya world.
Can the converter handle dates before the Mayan epoch?
The Mayan calendar epoch is August 11, 3114 BCE (Long Count 0.0.0.0.0). Dates before this epoch produce negative day counts and fall outside the intended range of the Long Count system. This converter restricts input to dates on or after the epoch to ensure meaningful output.