Calendar Huaca de Chena

1 calendar

1.1 skills of observation
1.2 determination of geographical north - south axis
1.3 winter solstice

calendar

due big distances existed between villages , need cross them afoot, makes presume every accession of relative importance, relying on observatory allowing inhabitants, own , 1 handled calendar. inca accession spanish found on having come valley of santiago surely not exception. date in sun passes nadir (antizenith) known, , temporary axis forming step zenith. in inca city wanuku pampa aveni discovered 2 important buildings orientation glaringly different rest of city: align axis( zenith - anticenit, names later standard time of cuzco , since suggests incas, on not having been able apply same temporary criteria in empire (s passed tropics, sun never passes zenith - chena s case-), had support calendar coherence between remote places of empire , capital. in chena, have not seen type of alignment towards cuzco s time zone .

skills of observation

june 21 holiday of inti raymi, new year inca. if inca stopping in beginning of short red line, observing first beam of sun went out across groove between 2 walls. sun rising after ushnu or altar. during celebration of inti raymi of 2006 in pucara, young archeologist , mountaneer ricardo moyano observed exit of sun , recognized hills depression in sun goes out, so-called portezuelo del inca. moment name did not have explanation. observation, in stehberg s opinion, might question of first line of ceque found in santiago. in cuzco, ceques consisting of imaginary lines coricancha departing , going towards every huaca, shaping whole of 328 huacas. fulfilling functions of political, social , religious order. coricancha principal temple of inca culture.

to dawn of equinox, sun crosses door of enclosure orient , crosses corridor. late afternoon realizes inverse way. diagonal of corridor of access indicates line north - south.

by means of simple method, , using mud , stones materials of construction, astronomers incas achieving observations of great precision.

determination of geographical north - south axis

for example, determine astronomic or geographical north, enough observe point of exit , point of putting of star vega (lira s alpha), urcu chillay or macho calls incas, winter solstice. average point, represents north. simple method allowed former astronomers determine axis north - south. following scheme, product of more 1 decade of observation in situ of astronomic events, shows system of astronomic observation simple sight, used incas astronomers design pucara , realize observations of apparent movement of stars.

winter solstice

the surrise of winter solstice occurs in key point chena s ushnu: intersection of nearby horizon (chena s cord) , of distant (mountain chain of coast). in addition, in precise direction 1 finds summit of highest hill (1.166 msnm) reaches south of cuesta zapata. detail might not coincidence, topographic important requirement, due association known high hills worship water in several cultures