[Aztlan] Classic Maya Unit of Length

[David Hixson]

Like John, I am skeptical of the 1.144 mm measurement.
 What is the evidence for this?  Bob, could you
elaborate?

However, I do think that Bob, Dea and others had a
good point that body measurements were likely used as
standards, "much as we use a pace to represent a yard"
(cite: Bob Patten).

Otherwise, how would one come up with a 20 x 20 meter
measurement standard in the early 1600's among the
contact period Maya?  This must have had an earlier
equivalent in Maya measurement (such as meter equaling
a long pace or a double-arm-span).

BTW, the early colonial documents I have read from the
1600's (written in colonial Maya) mention measuring
their land from landmark to landmark - often
referenced as "multunob" (literally "piles of stone"
but are called today "mojoneras").  If you read my
previous emails from today, and those of Hube, you'll
see that piles of stone (Hube called them "cairns")
are still the corner markers for land measurements in
Yucatan.

-Dave

--- "John B. Carlson" <Tlaloc at umd.edu> wrote:

> Hmmmmm... What do you get when you cross a crocodile
> with an abalone?
> 
> Might be relevant?
> 
> John Carlson
> 
> 
> 
> At 4:10 PM -0700 11/28/07, Bob Patten wrote:
> >The Maya elite used 1.144 mm per unit to
> incorporate special values in
> >sacred objects. Synodic cycles are frequently
> recorded by dimensions. At the
> >site plan level, multiples of 360, 365, 584 and 949
> are common. Body part
> >equivalences were adopted for measures of
> convenience much as we use a pace
> >to represent a yard.
> >
> >Bob Patten
> >http://www.stonedagger.com
> >
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