Dimensioning at the Epiclassic Site of Cacaxtla, Tlaxcala, Mexico

This article discusses the measurement system used at Cacaxtla, Tlaxcala, Mexico. It addresses the ideological concepts this system may have expressed, its relationship to other systems used in Mesoamerica, and its implications for evaluating the hypothesis of a Maya presence at Cacaxtla during the Epiclassic. Measurements used at Cacaxtla combine the practical needs of builders with symbolic expression reflected in architecture. Two moduli served as the basis for the dimensioning: the unit of .488 m and its triple, 1.465 m. This measurement was in turn multiplied by 3,4,9, and 12 to obtain the lengths of the main spaces, which served as the basis for the dimensioning system used during different phases of construction. In specific places, three anthropometric measures were used. Additionally, the spatial distribution of pillars according to their sizes confirms the coexistence of two zones within the site that express a duality also present in mural paintings. The moduli and units used at Cacaxtla agree to a considerable degree with those identified for the Maya area and, in some cases, with Teotihuacan and the Nahua culture. I hypothesize that this system was shared by several Mesoamerican cultures and lasted from the Classic to the Postclassic periods

Archaeology · Basis (linear algebra · Dimensioning · Expression (computer science · Geography · Geometry · Ideology · Maya · Mesoamerica · Political science · Sociology · Anthropology · Architecture and Art History Studies · Computer Science · Engineering · Historical Art and Architecture Studies · Latin American history and culture · Mathematics · Architecture · History

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