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Itinerary for The MAA’s 5th Annual Mathematical Study Tour
Ancient Mayan Mathematics in Yucatan and Chiapas, Mexico

December 26, 2006 - January 2, 2007

Fly into Merida International Airport and check-in at the Hotel Mision de Frey Diego, a colonial building located one block from the city's central plaza. The airport is in town and about 15 minutes from the hotel.

The morning will begin with breakfast and an orientation meeting. We will go over the course itinerary and give some general information about how to get around in Mexico (where to get money, how to call home, etc). Between 9 am and noon the group will take a scenic tour of Merida. After a lunch break, the afternoon will be dedicated to seminars explaining the basics of ancient Maya history, numbers, and calendars. The evening will be free to explore the town and/or attend cultural events.

After breakfast and hotel check out, the group will journey to Dzibilchaltun and visit the Temple of the Seven Dolls, specifically designed to interact with the equinox sunrise. For lunch, we'll visit the town of Izamal, once a major Pre-Columbian city and the location where the infamous Bishop Diego de Landa chose to build his monastery in the 15th century. That evening's presentation back in Merida will be on ancient Maya astronomy.

The entire day will be spent at the ruins of Chichen Itza. The city's origins, politics, and religion will be discussed, but the main foci will be on its evidence of Maya astronomy. The alignments of buildings will be measured by compass and we will visit Chichen Itza's famous astronomical observatory, El Caracol. Other spots visited during the day will include the Temple of the Warriors, the biggest ballcourt in the Maya world, "El Castillo", and the "sacred cenote", where human sacrifices were made. The evening back in Merida will be free to enjoy the weekend entertainment in the city's central plaza.

After breakfast, the group will head for the ruins of Mayapan, the capital city of the Yucatan after the abandonment of Chichen Itza. There, the group will learn about the establishment of the "League of Mayapan", a 14th century attempt by the Maya to establish the region's first truly representational form of government. Mayapan's version of the Chichen Itza observatory will also be visited, and the functional differences between the two will be discussed. We will return to Merida for an afternoon seminar on ancient Maya geometry in art and architecture.

The group will stay in Merida this day. In the morning, we'll have a guided tour of the Regional Archaeological Museum, where many of the Yucatan's most famous artifacts are housed. The afternoon will be free for shopping, exploring, or just relaxing by the pool. That evening, we'll go the city's main plaza to enjoy the New Year's Eve festivities.

The group will journey to the ruins of Uxmal and visit some of the finest architecture in the Maya world. There the group will learn about and measure the geometry of the ancient structures. At the Governor's Palace, the evidence of its identity as a Venus viewing platform will be laid out. In the evening, the group will attend a farewell dinner and discuss what's been learned during the trip.

Early flights from Merida's airport back to the USA or other destinations.

Lodging in Merida:

Hotel Mision De Frey Diego - private bath, AC, cable TV, restaurant, pool, phones, internet.

Transportation

Private 44-passenger bus with AC and VCR.

Fees include: lodging, ground transportation, all breakfasts, 4 lunches, farewell dinner, lectures, ruins guides, ruins entry fees, workbook, and several instructors (UT-Austin) who are experts on the mathematics and science of the Maya.

Cost: $2310 per participant
Cost Saving Option: Share a room with another participant and pay $2160