Mayan expert: Dec. 21 not doomsday

CHICAGO, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A Chicago expert on the ancient Mayans said the belief that the world will end Dec. 21 of this year is based on a misunderstanding of the calendar.

Gary Feinman, curator of Mesoamerican anthropology with Chicago's Field Museum, said Friday will mark the end of a 1,872,000-day cycle for the Mayan calendar, but there is no reason to expect the world to come to an end, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.

"There's really no basis for thinking we have to be worried about what will happen," Feinman said. "There's no Maya prophesy of doom. There's no idea the world will come to an end that we can find in studies of the Maya."

Feinman said the ancient Mayans also wrote down dates for events taking place after the calendar rolls over Dec. 21.