Orientaciones astronómicas y el sistema de medida en La Quemada, Zacatecas, México

Abstract

Recent archaeological research carried out at the Citadel of La Quemada, Zacatecas, Mexico, revealed a complex system of architectural planning that combined astronomical orientations with area calculations of the structures and the precise measurement of the distances between their principal points. The numerical values of the measurements both of length and area correspond to periods of the Mesoamerican calendar. The builders used a measurement unit of 100.5 cm composed of five units of 20.1 cm which was derived by the extension of an earlier unit of 80.4 cm that was largely used in major sites throughout Mesoamerica. The results presented in this paper indicate basic knowledge of astronomy, mathematics and geometry and have religious/cosmological, socio-political and historical implications.