Why seven?

Seven is an awkward number. In ancient times when people had (we think) difficulties in counting, presumably it would be more convenient with five days corresponding to the natural counting machine in the number of fingers on a hand.

To answer the question of seven by referring to the number of the 'planets' is, I believe, not enough. A good map must agree with more than one aspect of 'reality'.

I can see one important such aspect: The sum of 13 and 7 is 20 = the number we arrive at when adding fingers and toes. The Maya used 20 as the base of their counting system. (And we use 10 instead, because we wear shoes in our cold climate.)

Here I must hurry to explain:

1. I can see more important aspects weighing in favour of seven than this numerologic Mumbo Jumbo and I will try to explain more such aspects further on.

2. We have one equation with two unknowns which should (as I propose) add up to 20. To explain 7 by referring to 13 is to invite the next question: Why thirteen?

Below I will first try to make 13 seem necessary and than return to explaining 7.

 
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