[Aztlan] "WHEELS"

[Craig Berry]

Javier Pulido Biosca wrote:
> I think that is convenient to have in mind two things:
> 
> 1. The figure of the wheel is a religious one, called Quincunce by Aztecs.

Actually, the word 'quincunce' is Spanish in origin, from the Latin
'quincunx'.  It refers to any arrangement of four figures or symbols in
a square or rectangle with a fifth in the center.  Equal-armed crosses
and four-spoked wheels lead to quincunx arrangements rather naturally.

> 2. Think about mexican orography and transport needs. Read about the
> railroads in the XIX Century and you can understand why ancient mexicans did
> not used wheels to transport goods.

I can definitely understand why wheels would not be practical for
long-range transport in most of mesoamerica, especially in jungle and
mountainous regions.  However, as was just pointed out, Teotihuacan was
quite flat; so was Tenochtitlan, and many of the other major cities.
Surely it would make sense to use wheeled carts for moving goods (and
debris) through such cities?  Hot dog vendors today don't travel far,
but the distance they do travel is done on wheels; it's hard to imagine
why the same design considerations would not apply in any moderately
large, flat city.

-- 
\ /  Craig Berry (http://www.cine.net/~cberry)
-*-  "All the earth is drenched and drowned, every other ship's unsound;
/ \  we alone are homeward bound." - Aleister Crowley, "The Ship"