(Merida – TYT) – For three days, the archaeological site of Dzibilchaltún will open its doors at 5 am to observe the autumnal equinox in the main building of “Las Siete Muñecas” (the seven dolls) confirmed the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
With the change of season -from summer to autumn- a phenomenon of light is presented in the main portico of the most important building in Dzibilchaltún, since, at dawn, the sun fills the building with light crossing its rays over the structure of this millenary building, an effect that is repeated with the spring equinox.
INAH announced that the archaeological site of Dzibilchaltún, located 16 kilometers north of Mérida, would open its doors after being closed for three years due to the pandemic and later to a series of problems between groups of ejidatarios (communal land owners) who own the land where the archaeological site is located.
The institution informed that for three days the public will be able to observe the autumnal equinox, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the death of Archaeologist Victor Segovia Pinto, discoverer of the astronomical phenomenon.
According to the National Astronomical Observatory, the autumn of 2022 in the northern hemisphere will begin this Friday, September 23, at 01.04 UTC -that is, at 5 o’clock, Mexico time, on Friday 23- , according to calculations, the autumn season will last approximately 89 days and 21 hours, and will end on December 21 with the beginning of winter.
On this subject, José Chab Cárdenas, head of INAH in Yucatán, anticipated that Dzibilchaltun would open in a special way on September 21, 22 and 23 at 5:30 a.m. to allow only one access.
He explained that the objective is that they can witness the phenomenon that occurs with the sunrise and whose circumference passes right in the center of the door of the building known as El Castillo or also called Temple of the Seven Dolls, located to the east of the archaeological site.
This archaeoastronomical spectacle is part of the attractive phenomenon in the archaeological zone. According to information, the capacity is considered for 250 people who must enter at 5:30 hrs, carrying mouth covers.
The equinox light phenomenon was discovered by archaeologist and researcher Victor Segobia Pinto(+) in the spring of 1985 in the area of Dzibilchaltún. He was the first to apply the concept of landscape architecture in all the rescue and restoration works of pre-Hispanic Maya sites in which he participated.
TYT Newsroom
