Tracking the Planets

In order to make their calendars, to keep track of time and the passing of cycles, the Maya needed a method for tracking the gods as they crossed the sky. In some centers the Maya constructed buildings whose angels and heights could be used to calibrate time.

In the easternmost part of the Classic site Uaxactun is Group E (see Fig. 5). The group, its plaza bordered by structures on each side, is orientated almost exactly north-south and dates to Preclassic times. The Maya stood atop the building on the west side of the plaza, using it as a point of observation from which to record the passing of the winter and summer solstices, respectively the shortest and longest days of the year. They used temples directly east, Temples I, II, and III, to measure the sun’s movements. As the sun rises during its summer solstice, it passes just to the left of Temple I, the northernmost temple, and during the winter solstice just to the right of Temple III, the southernmost temple (Aveni and Hartung 1989)