A comparative exploration of the solar cycle celestial alignments of Sajikdan and Templo Mayor Una exploración comparativa de las alineaciones celestiales del ciclo solar de Sajikdan y el Templo Mayor

Resumen

Sajikdan and Templo Mayor was shaped by the distinctive histories and cultures of the Joseon Dynasty and the Aztec Empire, rooted respectively in Confucian culture and Mesoamerican civilization. These symmetrical temples, constructed in the 14^th and 15th centuries in the cities of Hanyang and Tenochtitlan. This study conducts a comparative analysis of the celestial alignments in relation to the orientations of the Templo Mayor and Sajikdan. Archaeological evidence attests that the façade of the Templo Mayor deviates by approximately 7° south of east. In that orientation, the sun rises between its twin temples 16 days before and after the equinoxes. This configuration is closely linked to the layout of the four principal avenues extending from the capital, Tenochtitlan. In contrast, no historical evidence accounts for Sajikdan’s 29° clockwise orientation. Thus, an inferential methodological approach was employed to propose a correlation between its orientation and the winter solstice sunrise; an orientation consistent with the alignment of Sajikdan and Jongmyo. The winter solstice symbolised the yin–yang transition and the turning of the year, serving as a calendrical benchmark of the time. Despite the geographical distance between them, the comparative analysis of these two sites reveals how the civilizations inscribed astronomical, symbolic, and political dimensions into their respective ritual landscapes.