I propose a “Milky Way / creation hypothesis” for the elongated eastern structures in early Maya E Groups: they were modeled on the Milky Way galaxy. These architectural arrangements, beginning in the Preclassic period (c. 900 B.C.–A.D. 200) in the southern Maya Lowlands, were adopted from predecessors in the Early Preclassic neighboring Gulf Coast region. The widespread overall similarity of E Groups suggests a shared belief system centered on myths about creation, and many of the characters (e.g., Maize God) and events of creation in Maya myths are set in the Milky Way. The general north–south axial orientation of the eastern platform, frequently pivoted northeast–southwest, is proposed to be related to the rainy season position of the Milky Way overhead. E Groups were probably multifunctional ritual theaters, the eastern platforms serving as stages for nighttime performances of creation stories. Late modifications into a tripart edifice, with structures or superstructures in the center and at both ends, replicated the major asterisms of the visible galaxy and/or the creator gods.

我对早期玛雅 E 群中细长的东部结构提出了“银河系/创世假说”：它们是以银河系为模型的。这些建筑布局始于玛雅低地南部的​​前古典时期（约公元前 900 年至公元 200 年），是从邻近墨西哥湾沿岸地区的早期前古典时期的前辈那里采用的。 E组普遍存在的整体相似性表明了一个以创世神话为中心的共同信仰体系，玛雅神话中的许多人物（例如玉米神）和创世事件都以银河系为背景。东部台地的总体南北轴方向经常向东北-西南方向旋转，这与银河系头顶的雨季位置有关。 E组可能是多功能仪式剧场，东部平台是夜间表演创世故事的舞台。后来对三部分大厦进行了修改，在中心和两端都有结构或上层建筑，复制了可见星系和/或造物主神的主要星群。