Erik Vance in Xultún, Guatemala
for National Geographic News
Updated 5:28 p.m. ET, May 10, 2012
In the last known largely unexcavated Maya megacity, archaeologists have uncovered the only known mural adorning an ancient Maya house, a new study says—and it's not just any mural.
In addition to a still vibrant scene of a king and his retinue, the walls are rife with calculations that helped ancient scribes track vast amounts of time. Contrary to the idea the Maya predicted the end of the world in 2012, the markings suggest dates thousands of years in the future.
Perhaps most important, the otherwise humble chamber offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of Maya society. (Video: "Mysterious Maya Calendar & Mural Uncovered.")
I always was told it was end of an era and the end of the world scenario was from the christian Armageddon. The description of the mural could go with the myth of the ones that brought civilization Mayan Kukulcan and the Aztecs Quetzalcoatl and around the same time Osiris in Egypt did the same. Myth stories with a common enough theme.