The ancient Maya had a very accurate method of counting days and years, which is known as the Mayan Calendar. However, in reality there were several interlocking calendars which gave it great accuracy. This piece is known as the Ha'ab calendar and it is a solar calendar measuring 365 days. The figure in the middle is a time wheel bearer and he is carrying glyphs which are depicted around the outer rim. These are a set of 18 months, each of which lasts 20 days. This means that every year there would be 5 extra days, a period known as the Wayeb. During this time the Mayans feared that evil spirits could enter the world so they performed many rituals and ceremonies to keep danger away. Each calendar is made in Jalisco, Mexico and has a metal hoop on the reverse for ease of hanging.
