A Mathematical Description of the Agricultural Fields of the Acolhua Codices Vergara and Santa María Asunción. Issue 4 (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jorge, María del Carmen; Garza-Hume, Clara Eugenia; Chávez, Ramiro
• Is Part Of: Latin American antiquity. Volume 32:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 835
• Page End: 849
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: surveying -- Acolhua -- codices -- areas of irregular polygons -- maximum areas; agrimensura -- Acolhuas -- códices -- áreas de polígonos irregulares -- áreas máximas; Indians of Mexico -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; Indians of Central America -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; Indians of South America -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; Latin America -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; 918
• DOI: 10.1017/laq.2021.58
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1045-6635

Abstract

Abstract : We carry out a mathematical analysis of the quadrilateral fields from Codex Santa María Asunción and compare it with similar previous results from Codex Vergara, as well as analyze fields with more than four sides from both codices. We also provide a computational tool to draw all the possible shapes of the fields. Finally, we use the concept of maximum area to test the feasibility of the areas recorded in the codices and conclude that the Acolhua were very good surveyors.