Abstract

A topic of continuing research and debate has been the spatial and temporal relationships within eastern North America of monumental civic architecture - one of the presumed Mesoamerican influences in the area. Research concerned with similar topics within Mesoamerica has traditionally employed building orientation as one index of possible relationship. The paper summarizes work at Teotihuacan on two other potential indices of architectural relationship (units of measurement and relationship of building axes) and points out similarities between Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan with respect to these indices. The potential for the use of these indices in eastern North America is discussed.