Maya scholars disagree on exactly how the Maya people would have interpreted the end of their calendar cycle,....Best explanation I’ve heard so far is: Marvin the Mayan was summoned by the Chief and told to make a perpetual calendar and if he did, he would be paid handsomely for his time. Marvin the Mayan started it, and received a yearly payment, which satisfied him and he continued. some time down the road a payment was missed and Marvin the Mayan got pissed. Another payment was missed, and he finally said “The Hell with this shiite.” and that is when the calendar ended.
I heard that he was working late one night and decided that was enough for the day. He laid down his writing instrument and decided a beer would taste good. He walked across the road to the local saloon had a few too many and on the way back he got run over and killed by a llama. Thus he was never able to finish the calendar.
My personal joke to the ‘believers’ is that the calendar continues on the stone buried beneath the one that is visible.
I’m amazed sometimes at how many believe me when I tell that as a joke.