This article synthesizes recent advances in the study of astronomy and worldview in architectural and urban planning in Mesoamerica. Throughout most of this cultural area, the practice of orienting civic and ceremonial buildings followed similar principles, although regional and time-dependent variations are present. Analysis of alignment data has revealed the existence of distinct and widespread orientation groups; most refer to sunrises and sunsets on particular dates, although two groups can be related to lunar and Venus extremes. Astronomically relevant directions frequently dominate considerable parts of urban layouts. The orientation and the location of important buildings often were conditioned by astronomical criteria and beliefs about specific landscape features; particularly notable are structures that were aligned to prominent mountaintops on the local horizon. Based on a variety of contextual data, I interpret the uses and significance of orientations in terms of agricultural concerns, cosmological concepts, and political ideology. I outline the evolution of orientation practices, drawing attention to pan-Mesoamerican trends, regional patterns, and diffusion processes.

中文翻译：

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西班牙中美洲的天文，建筑和景观

本文综合了中美洲建筑和城市规划中天文学和世界观研究的最新进展。在整个这个文化领域中，尽管存在地区和时间相关的变化，但对民用建筑和礼仪建筑进行定向的做法仍遵循类似的原则。对比对数据的分析表明存在不同且广泛的取向组。尽管两组可能与月球和金星的极端事件有关，但大多数都指特定日期的日出和日落。天文学相关的方向通常在城市布局中占主导地位。重要建筑物的方向和位置通常受天文学标准和对特定景观特征的信念的制约。特别值得注意的是与当地地平线上突出的山顶对齐的结构。基于各种上下文数据，我从农业关注，宇宙学概念和政治意识形态方面解释了取向的用途和意义。我概述了定向实践的发展，提请人们注意泛美中美洲的趋势，区域模式和传播过程。