[Aztlan] E-Groups and Sundogs

[Robert Hall]

     Please correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe that the literature on E-Groups considers the possible relevance of nadir passage of the sun in addition to solstices and equinoxes. It has been a puzzle that dates on stelae associated with the prototypical Uaxactun E-Group do not relate to solstices or equinoxes. Using the 584283 constant, the dates are February 1, 357 A.D., for the LC date 8.16.0.0.0 on Uaxactun Stelae 18 and 19 and January 28, 495 A.D., for the date 9.3.0.0.0 on Stela 20. Each LC date marks a katun-ending. Uaxactun has a latitude of about 17 degrees 24 minutes north latitude. At this latitude the sun makes its first nadir passage on January 31. The dates on these Uaxactun stelae are the only katun-ending dates that ever had or that ever would fall close to a day of first nadir passage of the sun at the latitude of Uaxactun during the occupation of this site. While solstices and equinoxes are not affected by latitude, nadir and zenith passages of
 the sun are. I have not and do not plan to investigate how this might effect the variability of orientation of knock-off e-groups at other sites, but it could be something to consider.
       In another matter, I would like to be contacted by the listero who expressed an interest in any Maya awareness of sundogs. Sundogs actually have a rather important place in Aztec cosmology and beyond, though not one related to structure orientations that I am aware of.
       Bob Hall