This was on last night (03/20/07) and I found it interesting. They noted that King Pacal was burried under the temple/city, with jade in each hand, one spherical and one cubical. They indicated in the documentary that the jade pieces were a clue to the way things were measured at that time. Per the show, they did not use calibration, metres, feet or other standards of measurements, but instead used systems of proportions. They theoried that the ancients used rope to craft sacred geometric shapes based on nature, such as flower patterns, etc...This would create circles, squares, etc. This evidently is how the site of Palenque was constructed.
I also found interesting that the towers and solar observatories had "T" shaped openings, which not only predicted the seasons and solar events, but were also the hyroglyphic symbol for wind, and also the symbol of the lineage of Palenque. Under the palace the "T" shaped openings were upside down, representing the underworld.
Has anyone in this tribe been to Palenque? Anything you can share about the experience? I would like to visit one day if its open to the public...
I also found interesting that the towers and solar observatories had "T" shaped openings, which not only predicted the seasons and solar events, but were also the hyroglyphic symbol for wind, and also the symbol of the lineage of Palenque. Under the palace the "T" shaped openings were upside down, representing the underworld.
Has anyone in this tribe been to Palenque? Anything you can share about the experience? I would like to visit one day if its open to the public...
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San Diego
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Re: Palenque on the History Channel
Wed, March 21, 2007 - 6:48 PM
Different cultures in Mesoamerica used specific measuring units, mostly between 80-90 cm. I don't know much about Palenque in that sense, but in Teotihuacan, Saburo Sugiyama has done extensive work and found that the buildings and urban planning, measured in Teotihuacan Measuring Units (TMU, about 83.5 cm) corresponds to cosmic cycles, mostly cycles of the Sun, Moon and Venus, and also corresponds with the ritual calendar.
Palenque probably has a similar situation, but so far there haven't been major mapping projects to study Palenque's layout as an urban system. I'd find the proportion bit hard to swallow. Although proportion was important, Mayan structures have a remarkable precision and sense of balance that isn't found anywhere else on the continent. There style of architecture, with its precision, required the use of a specific measuring system that we don't understand yet...
As far as Palenque itself, I've been there several times and it's an astoundingly beautiful place, with an amazing vibrant energy emmanating from the rainforest, the waterfalls, the howler monkeys... If you get the chance, go there!
