Problema de ajustes del año calendárico mesoamericano al año trópico

Abstract

In various recent studies it has been argued that the Mesoamerican calendrical year maintained a fixed correlation with the tropical year; several methods of periodical adjustment that would have allowed this permanent concordance have also been proposed. The purpose of this article is to show that hypotheses of this kind cannot be sustained, as they are irreconcilable with multiple reliably documented facts concerning the structure, correlation and the uses of the Mesoamerican calendrical system. The analysis of the pertinent evidence reveals that the calendar year, invariably having 365 days, was not kept in step with the tropical year. Since this conclusion seems to contradict the arguments presented by some authors that a correspondence between the ceremonies of the months and the seasons of the year, particularly in the Mexica calendar, existed at the time of the Conquest, possible solutions of the problem are also discussed.