Did the Maya really predict that the world would end in December of 2012? If not, how and why has 2012 millenarianism gained such popular appeal? In this deeply knowledgeable book, two leading historians of the Maya answer these questions in a succinct, readable, and accessible style. Matthew Restall and Amara Solari introduce, explain, and ultimately demystify the 2012 phenomenon.

Introduction: You really can survive -- The history of the end of the world : the Maya prediction -- They deserve better : the Maya evidence -- God is angry : the millenarian mother lode -- The Moctezuma factor : the end of the world comes to Mexico -- Apocalypto : the millennium comes to the Maya -- We are almost there : why people believe.