Ciclos culturales y astronómicos en Xochicalco, Morelos

Research at Xochicalco reveals sophisticated calendar systems akin to those used by central Mexican and Oaxacan societies during the 6th century CE, with over 115 dates inscribed on its reliefs. The study builds upon Alfonso Caso's foundational work (1967), refining and organizing day signs while addressing a critical gap in Mesoamerican calendrical studies: whether the site's inhabitants recognized the difference between the tropical year (365.2422 days) and the civil year (365 days). Through rigorous analysis of glific texts on stones, the research explores how Xochicalco's advanced astronomical knowledge—evidenced by precise solar cycle calculations—may have influenced cultural, agricultural, and religious practices, while also questioning whether the slight annual drift was corrected or tolerated. This work sheds light on the precision and societal significance of calendrical systems in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica.

Morante López, R. B. (2019). Ciclos culturales y astronómicos en Xochicalco, Morelos. Anales de Antropología, 53(1), 75. https://doi.org/10.22201/iia.24486221e.2019.1.64803