[Aztlan] Maya measurements

[rod44 at comcast.net]

 I'm sorry to be behind with this one but while you were all discussing it last week I was looking for an article on it I wrote for the IMS  Newsletter a couple of years ago.  I finally found it (but not in digital version so I'm re typing it (its short).
While the article is mine  the original research data is NOT, and I can't find the reference... so who-so-ever data I'm copying please accept my apologies: no intent on plagiarism.

MAYA  MEASUREMENTS     by Joaquin J. Rodriguez !!! PE
    Studies from dimensions of 10 Maya sites including Chichen Itza  indicates that the common
unit of measurements (at least in this area of "Mayaland") was about l.5 m (approx. 5ft) and linguistically this  may correspond to the Zapal which is the distance between out stretched  arms.   This would be about 5 ft for a
short man 5 ft in heights.  This is the same concept as the European fathom of 6 ft.  The Zapal would be
sub-divided into l6 small units called a Kab (approx. 3.75") and each of these into 9 xoot of about l centimeter.
Therefore the xoot would be about l finger width; the kab the width of a closed fist from pinky to thumb ( each of the 5 knuckles and 4 spaces being l xoot ).
     This would make the pyramid of Kukulkan  37 zapal wide at the base, l6 zapal high to the platform
and l3 zapal wide at the top.  The temple at the top is 9 zapal wide and 4 zapal high.  The 13 and 9 units may be
related to the 13 levels of the sky and the 9 levels of the underworld (Xibalba).
     In practice the zapales would be measured with a streched string like in old river boats and the Kabs and xoots with your hand as I've seen hundreds of carpenters and masons do in Central America in my youth.