Archaeologists in the Yucatán Peninsula have discovered a series of low-lying limestone altars inlaid with jade-threaded obsidian mirrors at the site of Sayil. These "moon-mirrors" were strategically placed to reflect the sun’s zenith into darkened interior chambers during the Festival of the Noon-Day Spirit, a significant date in the Maya agricultural calendar.
The find highlights the sophisticated astronomical and logistical planning required for Maya festivals. The presence of jade threading suggests that these mirrors were high-status ritual objects used to "capture" celestial light, which was then used to symbolically bless the seeds for the upcoming planting season in a public display of divine intervention.