Acoustic measurements of Edzna: A Mayan archaeological place in Mexico

Abstract

Over the years, numerous acoustic measurements have been made to examine archaeological spaces, providing valuable insights into how sound played a role in several cultures throughout history. This research found twenty-eight studies worldwide in the last seven years (2016 – 2022); twenty in Europe (e.g., Stonehenge in England or the Palace of Charles V in Spain); four in Asia (e.g., Rachmaninov Hall in Russia); three in America (e.g., Mexico City Cathedral in Mexico); and one in Africa (Iwan masjids in Egypt). However, there has been limited investigation into the acoustics of cultures in America such as the Incas, Aztecs, Mapuches, Patagones, or Guaranies. The Mayan zone, in particular the archaeological site of Edzna (Campeche, Mexico) is not an exception. This work presents a practical and portable acoustic measurement of this site to determine if the architectural spaces were designed considering sound effects. Edzna is organized in six main places: (1) Main Plaza, (2) Nohochna, (3) Great Acropolis, (4) Five-story building, (5) Small Acropolis and (6) Ballcourt. Acoustic measurements for this study were taken in the Main Plaza, the Great Acropolis, and the Small Acropolis. This study revealed that the archaeological zone presents high Reverberation Time (RT20) levels above 2 or 3 s. In particular, the RT20 of the Main Plaza (RT20 = 2.2 s on average), suggests that the space was used for crowded events where participants could listen around the plaza. In contrast, the Great and Small Acropolis (RT20 = 1.2 s on average) were probably used for private, more intimate events.