Kukulcan
Maya astronomers had a remarkably accurate knowledge of the
apparent motion of
Venus. They knew on what day Venus would
appear again in the east after it had disappeared in the
west.
Moreover, they knew that every 2920 days (about eight
years) Venus repeats its movements in relation to the sun.
Mayans determined with great approximation the synodic
period of Venus, which according to modern astronomers is
583.92 days. For the Mayans, it was 584 days!
The ancient Mayans used the doorways and windows of their
buildings as astronomical sightings, especially of Venus.
At Uxmal, for instance, all buildings are aligned in the
same direction.
Mayans offered numerous human
sacrifices to Venus and the Sun. Venus was the patron planet of warfare for the Mayans. That is why the dates of
several battles are connected with a key position of Venus cycle.
From the historian Sahagun we know that when Venus (the
morning star) rose, people stopped up their chimneys so that
no harm from its light could get into their houses.
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