08 October 2014

Eye on the sky ~

Here is the opposite side of the Casa Grande Ruins and it has very interesting features - windows high up on the structure that are believed to have been used as observatories. The small circular window shown here aligns with the setting sun on the summer solstice. Other windows and doorways align with the moon at significant times during the year. This suggests that the Hohokam devised a calendar system based on the motions of the sun and moon and incorporated that into their architecture. Similar to England's Stonehenge, this building may have served as an astronomical observatory and calendar.

2 comments:

  1. This is fascinating! All my years of living in Tucson and driving up to Phoenix and Flagstaff and zipping by the sign about the Casa Grande ruins and NEVER stopping to see, usually because it was 110 degrees in the shade, haha! You've picked a great time of the year to sight see and I thank you for taking us along! Have you ever been to Montezuma Castle which are cliff dwellings north of Phoenix? I HAVE been to gaze up at them. The Hohokom were an amazing people of the desert. Such a mystery in their dissappearance!

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  2. I too have never been to Casa Grande but have been to Montezuma Castle. That is interesting about the architecture and calendar system.
    Kathy

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