Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 4(11), pp. 953 - 965
DOI: 10.13189/sa.2016.041102
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Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - V: Evidence from Río Azul Tomb I Murals and Related Artifacts

Richard R. Zito ^*
Summerhaven Observatory, P.O. Box 663, Mt. Lemmon, AZ 85619, USA

ABSTRACT

Many cultures of antiquity have made naked-eye observations of large sunspot displays. The Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Greeks, have all made such observations. Pictorial evidence on dated Mesoamerican monuments suggests that similar observations may have been made in the New World as well. In this regard, Tomb 1 at Río Azul is of particular interest. Within the tomb, murals depict a spotted Sun God as the "father" of Tikal king "Curl Snout" (Yax Nuun Ayiin I). Therefore, the murals of Tomb 1 corroborate the information gleaned from Stela 31. However, the iconography at Río Azul is more explicit, with the Sun God displaying two Kin signs on his head. As in the previous report on Stela 31, the spotted Sun God is probably a reference to the naked eye sunspot series terminating in 400 AD that presaged the end of Curl Snout's life in 404 AD.

KEYWORDS
Maya, Río Azul, Murals, Sun God, Sunspots

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Richard R. Zito , "Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - V: Evidence from Río Azul Tomb I Murals and Related Artifacts," Sociology and Anthropology, Vol. 4, No. 11, pp. 953 - 965, 2016. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2016.041102.

(b). APA Format:
Richard R. Zito (2016). Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - V: Evidence from Río Azul Tomb I Murals and Related Artifacts. Sociology and Anthropology, 4(11), 953 - 965. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2016.041102.