819 Day Cycle

Some Maya inscriptions show a count back to a day that starts a cycle that has a period of 819 days. For example, on Lintels 29 and 30 at Yaxchilán, there is a date 9.13.17.12.10 8 Ok 13 Yax. It then records than on a day 397 days before it (recorded 1.1.17), an 819 day cycle begins on 9.13.16.10.13 1 Ben 1 Ch'en.

It is speculated that the reason for a 819 day cycle is that 819 is 7 times 9 times 13. There are 13 gods of the heavens and nine of the underworld. There could be seven unknown gods of the earth. The Maya meticulously recorded the Lord of the Underworld for a given Long Count date, which is always G6 on the first day of the 819 cycle. There are thirteen numbered days in the Tzolk'in, and the number is always one on the first day of an 819 cycle. Recently, a seven day cycle was discovered that may be represented by gods of the earth. After 819 days the same three gods of heaven, earth, and the underworld would preside over the same day number.

With each 819 day cycle is an associated direction and color. The directions and colors are:

So each 819 day cycle is part of a larger cycle of 3276 days when an 819 day cycle again starts with the same color and direction.