| Title |
A Study on the Concept of Space and Time, and Architectural Orientation in Ancient America |
| Abstract |
This study is concerned with temporal symbolism in architectural orientation. It aims to demonstrate how "time-factor" has been played a significant role for determining the orientations of religious architecture in classical Meso and Andean America, mainly the Aztec, the Maya and the Inca. Although the Aztecs, the Maya and the Inca people have had their own concept of cardinal directions, many temples were oriented not in accordance with cardinal points, but with off-cardinal directions.Since classical Meso-American and Andean gods were closely associated with the sun, the moon and Venus, observing the movements of those heavenly bodies would be a crucial function of ritual architecture, by means of aligning to selected heavenly bodies. |