Untitled

2009

Proc. IAU

The observation of the sky had an important rôle among the Maya, Aztecs and other prehispanic peoples of Mesoamerica. Their familiarity with the regularities of the apparent motion of the Sun, the Moon and bright planets is attested in a large amount of astronomical data contained in codices and monumental hieroglyphic inscriptions, as well as in their sophisticated calendrical system. On the other hand, the study of architectural alignments has disclosed that civic and ceremonial buildings were largely oriented on astronomical grounds, mostly to sunrises and sunsets on certain dates, allowing the use of observational calendars that facilitated a proper scheduling of agricultural and the associated ritual activities in the yearly cycle. Both accurate knowledge and other astronomically-derived concepts reveal that the significance attributed to certain celestial events by the ancient Mesoamericans can be explained in terms of the relationship of these phenomena with specific environmental and cultural facts, such as seasonal climatic changes and subsistence strategies. It was particularly due to its practical utility that astronomy, intertwined with religious ideas and practices, had such an important place in the worldview and, consequently, in the cosmologically substantiated political ideology of Mesoamerican societies

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Astronomical Properties Of Mesoamerican Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Astronomy and its role in ancient Mesoamerica

2009

Proc. IAU

“…Since the alignments they rely upon are of different types and no independent contextual data supports their putative astronomical function, none of the criteria required for their astronomically motivated function to be proposed with a reasonable confidence is fulfilled (cf. Aveni 2003;Šprajc 2005), raising the suspicion that the alignments were selected simply because they fit the hypothesis. If it has long been known that the important buildings all over Mesoamerica were oriented largely on astronomical grounds, it is because the azimuths of their main axes concentrate around certain values, a regularity that can only be explained with the use of astronomical references at the horizon (Aveni and Hartung 1986, 7-8).…”

Section: Zenith and Nadir Sun On The Horizon?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Zenith and Nadir Passages of the Sun in Mesoamerica

2018

JSA

Among the astronomical phenomena occurring only in certain parts of the globe, the Sun's zenith and nadir passages stand out prominently, exemplifying the extent to which geographic latitude determines the significance attributed to particular celestial events and influences their role in cosmological concepts. The Sun reaches the zenith and the nadir (or anti-zenith) exclusively in tropical latitudes. On the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, these events coincide with the solstices, whereas in the intermediate belt each of the two phenomena occurs twice a year on dates that vary as a function of geographic latitude. The idea that the ancient Mesoamericans paid attention to both zenith and nadir Sun has long been very popular and different kinds of evidence have been claimed to reflect the significance of these phenomena. But how reliable is this evidence, and to what extent does it support these hypotheses?

“…Although the objective of archaeoastronomy is to investigate all aspects of life that had some relation with celestial observations, its most typical subject has been the study of architectural orientations and other apparently intentional alignments detected in the spatial distribution of archaeological features. Research in Mesoamerica has had a significant role in the development of appropriate theoretical guidelines and methodological procedures, which lend credence to the resulting interpretations (Aveni 1989, 2001, 2003; Aveni and Hartung 1986; Iwaniszewski 1994; Šprajc 2005, 2015a, 2018). Nonetheless, some ideas continue to be popular even though they are irreconcilable with the available data and analyses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equinoctial Sun and Astronomical Alignments in Mesoamerican Architecture: Fiction and Fact

2021

Ancient Mesoam

Archaeoastronomical studies carried out during the last decades in Mesoamerica have demonstrated that civic and ceremonial buildings were largely oriented on astronomical grounds, mostly to sunrises and sunsets on certain dates, allowing the use of observational calendars that facilitated the scheduling of agricultural and related ritual activities. One of the deeply rooted but unfounded ideas is that many alignments recorded the Sun's positions at the equinoxes. By examining such proposals and analyzing their methodological flaws, I argue that they are not based on reliable and objectively selected alignment data, but rather derive from the preconceived significance attributed to the equinoxes. The most likely targets of the near-equinoctial orientations were the so-called quarter days, which occur two days after/before the spring/fall equinox and mark mid-points in time between the solstices. Considering that the astronomical alignments dominate extensive parts of the built environment, they must have played an important role in religion, worldview, and political ideology. Therefore, only a correct identification of their celestial referents, a prerequisite for any convincing interpretation of their meaning, underlying intents, and observational practices employed, can contribute to a proper understanding of some prominent aspects of architectural and urban planning in Mesoamerica.