Final answer:
Special angle pairs in archaeological surveying are measured using instruments such as the theodolite, and involve azimuths and the geological measurements of strike and dip. Additionally, archaeoastronomy captures the alignment of structures with celestial events.
Step-by-step explanation:
When referring to the identification of special angle pairs in archaeological surveying, we are often dealing with the measurement of angles related to geographic or geological features. A common instrument used in such measurements is the theodolite, which measures horizontal angles. Angles are typically measured from a reference direction, such as north, in a horizontal plane. In surveying, the azimuth is an angle measured clockwise from north, with standard directional azimuths being north (0°), east (90°), south (180°), and west (270°).
Additionally, in the context of geology, when measuring the orientation of geologic features like bedding planes, two critical measurements are considered: strike and dip. Strike is the direction of the line formed by the intersection of an inclined plane with a horizontal plane, while dip is the angle at which the plane inclines from the horizontal. The strike is always perpendicular to the dip direction, following the right-hand rule.
In archaeoastronomy, buildings or specific features might be aligned with celestial events. An example of this is in Chaco Canyon, where structures are positioned to provide views of the sun and moon during solstices and equinoxes. Such alignments may indicate the importance of astronomical events in historical and prehistoric cultures.