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94-530: Yaxchilan was a large center, important throughout the Classic era, and the dominant power of the Usumacinta River area. It dominated such smaller sites as Bonampak , and had a long rivalry with Piedras Negras and at least for a time with Tikal ; it was a rival of Palenque , with which Yaxchilan warred in 654. The site is particularly known for its well-preserved sculptured stone lintels set above

188-632: A Carnegie Institution expedition to Yaxchilan, mapped the site and discovered more monuments. From 1970 onwards, Ian Graham made numerous visits to Yaxchilan and recorded the inscriptions there. These inscriptions were published from 1977 onwards in the Corpus of Maya Hieroglyphic Inscriptions by the Peabody Museum of Harvard University. The Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) conducted archeological research at Yaxchilan in 1972–1973, again in 1983, and further INAH work

282-494: A bloodletting ritual. Meanwhile, a large man (HF 7) offers bloodletting supplies to the women on the throne. Of note is the fact that these individuals also seem to appear previously—HF 7 in Room 2 on the middle of the east wall; the others in Room 1 on the west wall throne scene. Above them, surrounded by yellow, another supernatural entity appears to spew blood. Turning to the north wall, one can see an almost identical supernatural in

376-434: A ceremony to honour Itzam K'an Ahk II of Piedras Negras. If Yopaat B'alam II was king of Yaxchilan at this time, this would indicate that he was subordinate to the king of Piedras Negras. This event was recorded on Piedras Negras Panel 3; there are no records of the reign of Yopaat B'alam II at Yaxchilan itself, indicating that any records were later destroyed if he had indeed ruled there. Yaxchilan retaliated in 759, gaining

470-414: A display in which a human cull is presented, tortured and killed in the company of the highest members of court and upper echelons of the victorious force); and, finally, to Room 3 (scene of a dance, with observers, and ritual bloodletting). In total, there are some 281 human figures represented within the three rooms, many with captions (approximately 1/3 of the figures are named, while another 10 percent of

564-430: A hole in the base, and a stone knife. The last two items—perforated vase and a stone knife—lead some to believe that this individual was one of the sacrifice victims depicted in Room 2. Other theories include him being a wounded warrior, or a possible relative of Yajaw Chan Muwaan, as his jewelry matched that of the nobles depicted in Room 1. It is clear that this tomb was part of the original construction of Structure 1 and

658-497: A jaguar jerkin and jaguar boots. Although it is clear that the events surrounding the ascension to the thrown of Chooj depicted in Structure 1 are narrating actual events, it is equally clear that Bonampak's version of the actual events is more propagandistic in nature. The aforementioned outfits of the losers underscore this fact. That is, no one intending to win would enter battle wearing costumes related to defeat, nor would all of

752-669: A lapse of 150 years. Structure 23 is dedicated to Lady K'ab'al Xook, a wife of the king. It originally had three lintels set above its doorways that appear to mark the re-founding of Yaxchilan in an effort to reinforce the lineage and right to rule of king Itzamnaaj B'alam II. Lintels 24 and 25 were removed at the end of the 19th century and are now in the British Museum, while Lintel 26 is in the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City. This series of lintels are among

846-465: A large plaza upon a terrace above the Usumacinta River. The architectural remains extend across the higher terraces and the hills to the south of the river, overlooking both the river itself and the lowlands beyond. Yaxchilan is known for the large quantity of excellent sculpture at the site, such as the monolithic carved stelae and the narrative stone reliefs carved on lintels spanning the temple doorways. Over 120 inscriptions have been identified on

940-571: A more detailed description about The Bonampak Documentation Project , and a thorough discussion on the murals, see Mary Miller and Claudia Brittenham's 2013 seminal work on the subject titled, The Spectacle of the Late Maya Court: Reflections on the Murals of Bonampak. *Note: The numbered human figures (HF) mentioned below can be found in the aforementioned publication on page 73, in addition to excellent large foldouts in

1034-445: A name glyph. Beneath the throne, one can view five bundles, albeit with some difficulty. It was not until Professor Mary Miller's aforementioned Bonampak Documentation Project that scholars finally knew what these bundles contained. After analyzing infrared images of this scene, glyphs for “ 5 pi kakaw ” were revealed. “ Kakaw ” was the classic Maya term for the cacao bean, and Harvard University professor David Stuart has suggested that

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1128-459: A real nose; behind it emerge two serpent-like supernatural entities that expel additional entities. The upper register of the west wall contains a musical procession with masked performers, carrying a dwarf (HF 42) who is lifted into the yellow background of the vault, demonstrating his connection to the supernatural world. The upper register of the east wall shows the noble women of Bonampak (HF's 2, 5 and 6) holding stingray spines to their tongues in

1222-470: A rival king as a war captive, his prisoner being king Bird Jaguar of Bonampak (not to be confused with the four rulers of Yaxchilan who bore the same name). The long-running rivalry with Piedras Negras had already begun by the fifth century AD, with both cities struggling to dominate the Usumacinta trade route. King Moon Skull was credited with gaining a victory over Piedras Negras in 460 and with capturing

1316-521: A satellite of Yaxchilan . In that time, the ajaw of Yaxchilan installed Yajaw Chan Muwaan I as lord in Bonampak. Subsequent ajawob reconstructed the site to orient toward the metropolis. C. 790 CE, Yaxchilan's king Shield Jaguar III oversaw the installation of Chan Muwaan II, and hired Yaxchilano artisans to commemorate it in "Structure I"'s murals. Bonampak collapsed with Yaxchilan in the 9th century. Structure 1: Structure 1 at Bonampak, built at

1410-409: A tomb beneath Room 2. It is small and relatively simple. It contained the body of one man between the ages of 35 and 42. It was a complete skeleton, minus the cranium, which scientists believe is simply due to natural erosion, and not evidence of beheading. The skeleton was accompanied by jade earrings, a jade necklace and bracelets, a spondylus shell pendant, two polychrome plates, an alabaster vase with

1504-483: A tributary of the Usumacinta River , was seen by non-Mayans in 1946. Precisely who was first of the non-Mayans to see it is a matter of speculation, but it was either two American travelers, Herman Charles (Carlos) Frey and John Bourne, or photographer/explorer Giles Healey . The Americans were led to the ruins by the local Lacandon Maya who still visited the site to pray in the ancient temples. Giles Healey

1598-485: A victory over its enemy. Circa 790 CE, Yaxchilan's king Shield Jaguar III oversaw the installation of Chan Muwaan II in Bonampak, and hired Yaxchilano artisans to commemorate it (and the previous Chan Muwaan) in "Structure I"'s murals. In 808, king K'inich Tatb'u Skull III marked his capture of K'inich Yat Ahk II , the last king of Piedras Negras, an event that probably represented the final overthrow of Yaxchilan's long running enemy, ending dynastic rule there and destroying

1692-535: A well-preserved roof comb. There are niches in both the roof comb and the frieze, the niche in the roof comb contains the remains of a sculpted figure. Tennons on both roof sections once supported stucco decoration. Leading up to the front of Structure 33 from the plaza is a stairway, the top step of which is sculpted, this step is known as Hieroglyphic Stairway 2. The South Acropolis consists of Structures 39, 40 and 41. A number of stelae and altars are associated with them. Structure 39 has been restored and lies within

1786-416: Is also indicative of defeat. The victors, on the other hand, all wear costumes with feline elements—specifically, the jaguar. Therefore, it is of no surprise to see the main character on the upper register of the south wall, Yajaw Chan Muwaan (HF 55), firmly gripping a jaguar skin-covered spear in his right hand while donning a large, extravagant jaguar headdress—which may contain a water-lily scroll—and wearing

1880-525: Is also known as the Labyrinth. It lies at the western edge of the Central Acropolis. The structure is a temple with rooms spread over three levels, linked by interior stairways. The temple facade has four doorways, with three doorway-sized niches between them. Two sculptured altars are located in front of the structure, which still has the remains of a perforated roof comb. Structure 20 is in

1974-435: Is glancing over his left shoulder into the upper register of the west wall at the figure (HF 19) sitting upon an elevated throne. This seated figure is likely Yajaw Chaan Muwan, ruler of Bonampak. It is important to mention here that the caption above this individual, like so many captions in Structure 1, was left blank. Therefore, the identification of HF 19 as Yajaw Chaan Muwan is deduced rather than known unequivocally based on

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2068-605: Is greeted by the sequel to the battle: torture and sacrifice of the captives taken in battle. To view the north wall, a visitor would have sat on the south bench above bound captives, as though becoming a part of the scene. The north wall is one of pain and suffering. Nude and almost nude captives (only wearing a loin cloth) are depicted in deep agony, as some of them are in the process of getting their fingernails ripped off, or have already undergone this torture and bleed from their wounds (HF's 101–109). HF 101 may have even had his teeth removed, while HF 106 has already expired, and HF 120

2162-408: Is in a good state of preservation and has six doorways, three facing the plaza and three facing the river. The doorways that open onto the plaza were blocked up in antiquity and new doorways were cut into the sides of the structure. The facade of the building facing the plaza has a surviving frieze with a sculpture of a head. The structure has a surviving perforated roof comb and is believed to date to

2256-516: Is located in the central part of the Great Plaza, it represents the moment of the height of Chan Muwan II, the importance of the character is reflected in the way it is represented and in the difficulty to elaborate the monument, that is, in a huge slab of stone of little thickness without suffering any fracture. With its almost 6 meters high it is one of the highest in the Mayan world. Chan Muwan II

2350-542: Is located on the south bank of the River, at the apex of a horseshoe-shaped meander . This loop defends the site on all sides except for a narrow land approach from the south. The site is 40 kilometres (25 mi) upriver from the ruins of Piedras Negras , its major rival. Yaxchilan is 21 kilometres (13 mi) from the ruins of Bonampak . The site lies in Ocosingo Municipality in the state of Chiapas, on

2444-458: Is only a severed head. Yajaw Chan Muwaan is the main figure here, too, wearing only a slightly different variant of his battle costume from the south wall. He stands stately over his captives, while several warriors and nobles observe the ritual, including his wife (HF 97). In the vault, directly above this scene, are four cartouches representing various celestial imagery. Note: During a radar survey of Structure 1 in 2010, archaeologists discovered

2538-418: Is seen and assisted by his mother, who carries the stingray spines to perform the piercing while his wife holds the basket with the strips of paper ready to receive the blood drops of the ruler, which will later be incinerated in honor of their deities. It represents a scene in which Chan Muwan II is standing in front of a second person squatting and in a position of submission wearing paper ear-rings, symbol of

2632-423: Is shown kneeling before the enemy king with his wrists bound. His successor, K'inich Tatb'u Skull II, was enthroned on 11 February 526. This king is notable for the series of carved lintels he commissioned, including a dynastic list that provides information on the early kings of the city. K'inich Tatb'u Skull II oversaw a revival of Yaxchilan's fortunes, and he captured lords from Bonampak, Lakamtuun and, notably,

2726-421: Is standing and carrying a ceremonial cane, the styling of the pupil gives him a greater strength to his look; in the lower part of the stele is observed the monster of the earth from which the faces of the young god of corn emerge. A band of glyphs under the feet of the ruler refers to his genealogy, while in another vertical band the emblem glyph of the city can be observed. It is located on a low terrace right in

2820-500: Is the least well preserved of the two structures. Structure 30 is in the Central Acropolis, it has three doorways facing onto the Plaza. The structure has two parallel rooms with well-preserved vaulting. Structure 33 , in the Central Acropolis, has been described as a masterpiece in stone and was probably dedicated in 756 by Bird Jaguar IV. The structure overlooks the plaza and the river and would have been prominent to river traffic in

2914-441: Is worth noting that the height of each doorway is only roughly 5’ 7” (1.75 meters), and around 3 feet wide. Thus, it is clear that no Maya noble in full regalia would have ever entered these rooms without a bow of deferential respect. In 1996, a team from Yale University led by professor Mary Miller began The Bonampak Documentation Project , which included making an even more detailed study, photographic record, and reproductions of

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3008-431: The ajaw , or lord, of B'uktunn, an otherwise unknown site. In 726, Yaxchilan was defeated by its rival Piedras Negras, an event described on Piedras Negras Stela 8. A sajal (subordinate lord) of Itzamnaaj B'alam II was captured by the enemy city, an event that is completely absent from inscriptions at Yaxchilán itself although, importantly, there is no false claim of victory. It is after this period, over forty years into

3102-585: The Border Highway by the Mexican Government in the early 1980s, it is possible for tourists to visit. To reach the site, it is necessary now only to take an hour-long boat ride down the Usumacinta River from Frontera Corozal . Some Lacandon Maya still make pilgrimages to Yaxchilan to carry out rituals to the Maya gods. The site contains impressive ruins, with palaces and temples bordering

3196-540: The Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México has examined and recorded precolumbian murals such as those at Yaxchilan. Yaxchilan has long been difficult to reach other than by river. Until recently, no roads existed within 100 miles. The only ways to get to the site were hundreds of miles by boat, or else by small plane. Since the construction of

3290-406: The 8th century. It has plain lower walls with three doorways, each of which supports a well-preserved lintel (Yaxchilan Lintels 1 to 3). In the centre of the back wall of the structure, opposite the central doorway, is a niche containing the headless sculpture of a human figure, probably Bird Jaguar IV himself. The roof of the structure is largely intact, including a sloped roof supporting a frieze and

3384-485: The Bonampak murals points to a large team of specialists, and not to one solitary genius. This team would have included plasterers, pigment preparers, and possibly calligraphers, in addition to the painters and planners whose artistic conception is most visible on the walls. The exterior of Structure 1, although poorly preserved, was once richly painted in bright hues of Maya blue, blue-green, red, and yellow. Indeed, almost everything would have been covered in paint, as even

3478-412: The Central Acropolis and has three rooms. The three doorways to this structure once supported sculpted Lintels 12, 13 and 14, although only two now remain. A small amount of the roof comb of the building remains, and the sloped roof still has surviving friezes containing niches. Structure 20 was excavated by Ian Graham in 1982, during the excavations a hieroglyphic step was found in front of the building, it

3572-415: The Central Acropolis. Five sculpted ballcourt markers were found here, three of which were aligned on the playing area and one on each of the platforms to either side. One of the ballcourt markers was removed from the site, the rest are broken and eroded. Structure 16 is close to the northwest ballcourt. It contains Lintels 38 through to 40, which have been reset in their original positions. Structure 19

3666-412: The Central Acropolis. The structure contains a series of hieroglyphic lintels describing the birth and accession of king Bird Jaguar IV. Structure 12 is a small structure in the Central Acropolis, close to the river. It contained eight lintels dating to the early 6th century. The structure is located in the Central Acropolis close to one of the ballcourts. The lintels record nine generations of rulers of

3760-651: The Early Classic. Structure 7 is beside Structure 6 but is in a much poorer state of preservation, with its vaulted ceiling having collapsed. This structure also had doorways facing both the river and the Main Plaza. Structure 8 is located in the Main Plaza in front of Structure 7 and divides the plaza into northwestern and southeastern sections. Structure 9 is an unrestored mound northwest of Structure 7. Stela 27 stands in front of it. Structure 10 shares an L-shaped platform with Structures 13 and 74, in

3854-560: The Initial Series Text right above them on the middle register. These are the only quotation marks in all of the Pre-Columbian New World. On the lower register of the north wall, still more musicians (HF's 43 and 44) blast their trumpets, while other performers (HF's 45–50) wear various costumes, including that of a crocodile (HF 48). Of all the images of visiting messengers, nobles and dancers held within

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3948-591: The Mexican side of the international border with Guatemala , which follows the line of river. It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) downriver from the Maya site Altar de Sacrificios . Yaxchilan has its origins in the Preclassic Period . A large part of what is known of the Classic Period history of the city comes from the hieroglyphic texts of the kings who ruled during its Late Classic apogee, one of

4042-494: The South Acropolis. It has three stepped doorways that open onto a single, irregularly shaped room. The remains of a perforated roof comb survive, with tenons that once supported stucco decoration. Structure 40 is flanked by structures 39 and 41. It has been restored and also has three doorways opening onto a single room and the remains of a perforated roof comb. The room has the remains of murals that once covered all

4136-501: The artists at Bonampak framed the lower course of the exterior of Structure 1 as if it were a Maya vase; more specifically, this was done in the codex-style vases of the Petén, and not mirroring those of the Usumacinta region where Bonampak is located. Above each room there is a small niche housing a seated figure—likely representations of a ruling lord. Between these niches there were two larger stucco scenes, only one of which has survived

4230-420: The back of the book. Room 1: This is the scene of a regal event: the acknowledgement, in front of the court and visiting dignitaries, by the Bonampak ruler, Yajaw Chaan Muwan, of his son's right to rule. There are 77 human figures in this first room fulfilling various functions within the narrative. Some of the actors that capture immediate attention are the elegantly costumed figures on the lower register of

4324-408: The brothers above them. They are depicted with one heel raised and arms stretched out, as if captured right before a spinning dance, perhaps to imitate the flight of the quetzal. Above the entire south wall scene, set among a background of yellow —the first appearance of a color not representing reality — is a supernatural entity with square eyes, and a single frontal, pointed tooth. It lacks pupils and

4418-597: The captives. 16°42′14.40″N 91°03′54.00″W  /  16.7040000°N 91.0650000°W  / 16.7040000; -91.0650000 Lacanha Lacanha or Lacanja (also known as Lacanjá-Kuná ) is Maya archaeological site located on the bank of the Lacanjá river inside the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas , Mexico . It was an important Mayan city from the classic period with its own emblem glyph. The site has had very few archeological investigations,

4512-528: The center of the Acropolis and next to Stela 3, it shows Chan Muwan II richly dressed in the company of two women, in front of him her mother Lady Shield Skull and behind him his wife the Lady Green Rabbit of Yaxchilán who wear a huipil . The scene revolves around the ritual of self-sacrifice, performed by the ruler who carries in his right hand a bag with copal from which the face of the bat god

4606-429: The central dancing figure below (HF 63) was the heir to the throne at Bonampak. Yet, even without having decoded the glyphs next to the three festive brothers, one notices a couple of peculiarities. Firstly, the young figure is actually wearing face paint and garments that are suggestive of a girl, perhaps a wife for the future ruler. Secondly, no one is looking at the child, not even the individual holding her. In fact, he

4700-453: The centre of the city. During his reign, the kingdom of Yaxchilán extended to include the nearby sites of La Pasadita and El Chicozapote to the northwest of the city. At times the sites of Lacanha and Bonampak appear to have been under his domination, although this region was controlled by Toniná in 715. In 689, relatively early in his reign, Itzamnaaj B'alam II is recorded as having captured Aj Sak Ichiy Pat. In 713 he captured Aj K'an Usja,

4794-634: The city as a capital. The first published mention of the site seems to have been a brief mention by Juan Galindo in 1833, published by the Royal Geographical Society . Professor Edwin Rockstoh of the National College of Guatemala visited in 1881 and published another short account. Explorers Alfred Maudslay and Désiré Charnay arrived here within days of each other in 1882, and they published more detailed accounts of

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4888-402: The city. The lintels were commissioned by K'inich Tatb'u Skull II, their original location is unknown, being reset into Structure 12 in the 8th century by king Bird Jaguar IV. Some of the lintels remain in place. Structure 13 rests on an L-shaped platform in the Central Acropolis, together with Structures 10 and 74. Structure 14 is the northwest ballcourt. It is located on the Main Plaza of

4982-512: The doorway to each room features a carved lintel of a warrior subduing a captive. Lintel 1 (Room 1) depicts Yajaw Chaan Muwan, ruler of Bonampak, capturing an enemy on January 12, A.D. 787 (Longcount date: 9.17.16.3.12, 8 Eb 10 K’umk’u); Lintel 2 (Room 2) likely shows the overlord from Yaxchilan, Shield Jaguar IV, on January 4, A.D. 787 (Longcount date: 9.17.16.3.8, 4 Lamat 6 K’umk’u); and Lintel 3 (Room 3) displays Aj Sak Teles, probably on July 25, A.D. 780 (Longcount date: 9.17.9.11.14, 3 Ix 2 Yax). It

5076-412: The doorways of the main structures. These lintels, together with the stelae erected before the major buildings, contain hieroglyphic texts describing the dynastic history of the city. Epigraphers think that the ancient name for the city was probably the same as that of its realm, Pa' Chan . pronounced [paʔ tʃan] , meaning "Cleft (or broken) Sky". Early archaeologist Désiré Charnay dubbed

5170-429: The end of the eighth century A.D. measures 16 meters long, four meters deep, and seven meters tall, and is constructed atop a T-shaped platform. Although there is no evidence to support the claim, some speculate that it may have also had a roofcomb, such as can be seen on Structure 33 at nearby Yaxchilan. Structurally symmetrical, balanced and stable, it is composed of three separate rooms, which contain murals that narrate

5264-495: The enemy king, known only as Ruler A. By the middle of the 5th century Yaxchilan had formal contacts with the great city of Tikal. Bird Jaguar II, the next king of Yaxchilan, captured a vassal of the king of Piedras Negras around 478. Knot-eye Jaguar I was a warlike king who was recorded as capturing nobles from Bonampak, Piedras Negras, and the great city of Tikal. In 514, Knot-eye Jaguar I was taken captive by Ruler C of Piedras Negras, as depicted on Lintel 12 from that city, where he

5358-487: The enthronement of Yopaat B'alam I, most likely on 23 July 359. He was the founder of a long dynasty and took the throne when Yaxchilan was still a minor site. Hieroglyphic inscriptions dating to the Late Classic describe a series of wars in the Early Classic between the city and its neighbors. K'inich Tatb'u Skull I ruled in the early 5th century and was the first of the rulers of Yaxchilan to be recorded as having taken

5452-435: The events surrounding the accession to the throne by Chooj, son of Bonampak ruler Yajaw Chaan Muwan, and grandson of Aj Sak Teles. Although there has been some disagreement as to the temporal sequence of events, it is generally agreed that the narrative should be viewed in chronological order, beginning in Room 1 (scene of tribute, dressing, dance, mummery and musical performance); then on to Room 2 (scene of violent conflict, and

5546-417: The figures have blank captions, and slightly more than half have no caption at all). A few theories as to why some captions were left blank include deaths or political realignment, an interruption of the murals related to the ostensible Lowland Maya collapse during the period of Structure 1's creation, and the possibility that it became politically impolite to name certain figures. The planning and execution of

5640-443: The finest relief sculpture surviving in the Maya region. Structure 24 is on a terrace near the Main Plaza in the Central Acropolis. It still has sculptured lintels in place. Structure 25 is in the Central Acropolis close to the approach to Structure 33. It has not been excavated or restored, although it has some intact vaulting. Structure 26 is located beside Structure 25 in the Central Acropolis and has not been excavated. It

5734-457: The floors in each room were painted black. Only the top surfaces of the interior benches appear to have been left unpainted. In addition to the various colors applied, there were further artistic elements on the facade of Structure 1. Just below the binder molding, there are remnants of a single band of some eighty glyphs that wrapped around the building, and broad vertical bands of red, interchanged with areas of unpainted white stucco. Essentially,

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5828-415: The future ruler, Chooj, who is in between his two brothers: Bird Balam and Aj Balam. With heels raised, all three brothers are in the middle of a ritual dance. To the viewer's left of HF 62, beginning on the south wall and leading to the east wall, there are several figures playing instruments (rattles, drums, and turtle shells) and singing, which fill this room with celebratory music. To the viewer's right of

5922-478: The interior walls. Stelae 12 and 13 stand before structure 40 and Stela 11 once stood between them. Bonampak Bonampak (known anciently as Ak'e or, in its immediate area as Usiij Witz , 'Vulture Hill') is an ancient Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Chiapas . The site is approximately 30 km (19 mi) south of the larger site of the people Yaxchilan , under which Bonampak

6016-405: The lack of an inscribed history for this lengthy period indicates that Yaxchilan had fallen under the dominion of a more powerful neighbor, such as Piedras Negras Palenque or Toniná , all of which were powerful polities in the Usumacinta region at this time. The Yaxchilano murals at Bonampak's Structure I commemorate Yaxchilan's appointment of Chan Muwaan I as subordinate ruler. Yaxchilan rebuilt

6110-415: The lord of Calakmul, one of the two great Maya powers of the Classic Period, as well as a success against Tikal, the second great power. Little is known of the history of Yaxchilan from 537 to 629, although four kings are known to have reigned in this period. Knot-eye Jaguar II is known to have captured the lord of Lacanha in 564, one of the few events that can be identified from this period. It may be that

6204-430: The most important of which is Hieroglyphic Stairway 1. Some retrospective inscriptions appear to have been used to rewrite Yaxchilan's dynastic history to suit king Bird Jaguar IV . Before the rule of king Itzamnaaj Balam II, who reigned from 681 to 742, the city was relatively small. The city-state then grew to a regional capital and the dynasty lasted into the early 9th century. The known history of Yaxchilan starts with

6298-457: The most notable buildings include temples, pyramids and a plaza covered in thick jungle. The rest of the site includes a big acropolis buried in the jungle. It is commonly referred to as "The lost city of Lacanja" due to its remote and hard to reach location in the middle of the jungle. The temples of Lacanha are used by the Lacandon people as a ceremonial site. Lacanha developed itself in

6392-412: The murals. These reproductions, completed by artists Heather Hurst and Leonard Ashby, bring to life many details, thanks to infrared photographs, that can no longer be seen with the naked eye. Most saliently, the images captured many glyphs that were previously unknown, lost either to natural erosion, or due to the many failed attempts at preservation, some of which did far more damage than conservation. For

6486-465: The myriad avatars of the Sun God upon its back. Room 2: This is the scene of what has been referred to as the greatest battle scene in all of Maya art. Room 2 is the largest of the three, which alludes to its greater importance. It also contains more human figures than either Room 1 or Room 2, with 139 of them. The south wall, which is the first that is viewed upon entering, along with the east and

6580-516: The naked eye—in this instance, the paint had been completely eroded in this area. However, the infrared images revealed that what HF 22 had in his left hand was none other than the still beating heart of the sacrificial victim below (HF 19), who is being dragged down the pyramid steps by two attendants (HF's 18 and 20). Covering almost the entire bottom register of the south and west walls are seven more elaborately costumed characters (HF's 13, 15, 17, 26, 26, 27 and 28) with similar headdresses to those of

6674-428: The other victories of Itzamnaaj Balam II's reign, is described both in the hieroglyphic texts of Structure 44 and also on a series of stelae near Structure 41. This victory over Lacanha is compared to the earlier victory of Knot-eye Jaguar II against the same city. Similarly, his capture of a lord of Hix Witz in 732 is compared to Bird Jaguar III's victory over the same site. In 749, Yopaat B'alam II of Yaxchilan attended

6768-413: The ravages of time. Hinting at what is depicted within on the murals, the image depicts a figure in a forward stride toward a captive on his knees before him, his hair being gripped firmly by his vanquisher. On the east and west sides of the building, the upper course featured additional seated figures within niches set atop long-snouted god heads—these still have some remnants of red paint visible. Finally,

6862-408: The reign of Itzamnaaj B'alam II, that this king embarked upon his impressive building programme, this may indicate that at this time Yaxchilan was able to exert independence from the hegemony of once powerful neighbours and claim greater political independence and more lucrative control of riverine trade . In 729, Itzamnaaj B'alam II captured Aj Popol Chay, the lord of Lacanha. This event, together with

6956-464: The reigns of King Itzamnaaj B'alam II, who died in his 90s in 742, and his son Bird Jaguar IV. Itzamnaaj B'alam II was enthroned in October 681 and he ruled for more than sixty years. During the last third of his reign he was responsible for a monumental building programme that included the erection of magnificent buildings with richly carved lintels, hieroglyphic stairways and carved stelae, transforming

7050-420: The remains of life size stucco figures on the back wall behind the stela itself. Structure 22 is on a terrace in the Central Acropolis near the Main Plaza. It still has sculptured lintels in place. Structure 23 is in the Central Acropolis, overlooking the Main Plaza. It was built during the reign of Itzamnaaj B'alam II and is especially significant because it was the first major construction undertaken after

7144-463: The ruins "Lorillard City" in honor of Pierre Lorillard who contributed to defray the expense of his expedition into the Maya zone, while Alfred Maudslay named it "Menché". pronounced [menˈtʃe] Teoberto Maler gave it its modern name, said to mean "Green Stones" in an unspecified Maya language. For some time, the Emblem Gylph was read as Siyaj Chan , or "Sky Born". Yaxchilan

7238-596: The ruins with drawings and photographs. Maudslay ordered several lintels to be removed, and the British Museum acquired lintels 24 in 1932. Maudslay's report was published by the Royal Geographical Society in 1883. Teoberto Maler visited the site repeatedly from 1897 to 1900, his detailed two volume description of the ruins and other nearby sites was published by the Peabody Museum of Harvard University in 1903. In 1931 Sylvanus Morley led

7332-505: The same brothers from Room 1, with the young heir, Chooj, in the center (HF 21). Each brother holds a bloody femur bone that has been modified into a ritual ax. Right below Chooj is another figure (HF 22) on his knees; he is also holding an ax in his right hand and another object in his left. Here is another instance where the Bonampak Documentation Project was able to decipher that which is not able to be seen by

7426-595: The site to point back toward Yaxchilan. In 629, Bird Jaguar III was enthroned as king of Yaxchilan. In 646 or 647 he captured a lord from the site of Hix Witz (meaning "Jaguar Hill"), somewhere on the north side of the Usumacinta, most likely Zapote Bobal or Pajaral located to the south of the San Pedro Martir river in the Petén department of Guatemala , based on the findings of epigrapher David Stuart (Mayanist) . Yaxchilan reached its greatest power during

7520-419: The south wall (HF's 62, 63, and 64). The large, feathered back racks, in addition to the various jaguar, quetzal and serpent elements in their costumes, underscore the importance of these figures. These are the three ch’oks (young heirs). It was at first thought that the central figure (HF 63) was the ruler of Bonampak, Yajaw Chaan Muwan. However, further readings of the accompanying glyphs show this figure to be

7614-400: The three ch’oks , leading to the west wall, there are eight sajals (regional governors). Of particular note is HF 71, standing in a familiar pose to smokers of today, as he, too, embraces a long, thin cigarette, expressing some combination of calm, lack of interest and boredom. Behind him, HF's 73 and 74, as well as HF's 52 and 54 on the east wall work together, holding parasols that frame

7708-435: The upper register, a few individuals, and one recently discovered detail in particular, stand out. Conspicuously placed upon a raised platform on the upper register of the south wall, just above two holes where wooden beams had once ran through to help support the structure, stands a lone figure (HF 16) presenting a child (HF 15) to the lords. At first, many thought that this child was the young heir; however, as noted previously,

7802-475: The various monuments from the site. The major groups are the Central Acropolis, the West Acropolis and the South Acropolis. The South Acropolis occupies the highest part of the site. The site is aligned with relation to the Usumacinta River, at times causing unconventional orientation of the major structures, such as the two ballcourts . Structure 6 is near the Main Plaza in the Central Acropolis. It

7896-403: The vault as that of the south wall vault. Below, 10 ebeets (lords) dressed in white mantles engage in conversation, while nine more seated individuals below also gesticulate as they talk to one another, perhaps commenting on the performance taking place on the south wall in front of them. Finally, on the bottom register, more musicians raise their instruments skyward as part of the procession on

7990-488: The victors gripping them by the hair—or those in the process of being defeated, are depicted as being left-handed (e.g., HF's 61 and 67). Some are even illustrated with two left hands. To contrast this sharply, several victors are given two right hands, doubling their strength and masculinity. In addition to left-handedness, the losers are also all wearing some element of a bird—or, at least those that are still in their battle costumes, and have not yet been stripped of them. This

8084-400: The warriors of the losing side be left-handed. Professor Mary Miller describes the battle scene of Room 2 as an “...official historical portraiture, not by any means a photographic glimpse of Maya warfare.” Above the chaotic battle, the south vault depicts three individuals within ancestor centipede cartouches. Between them are two bound captives. As one turns to view the north wall, the viewer

8178-423: The west wall. Room 3 engulfs the viewer in the celebration. Professor Mary Miller wrote, "Perhaps no single artifact from the ancient New World offers as complex a view of Prehispanic society as do the Bonampak paintings. No other work features so many Maya engaged in the life of the court and rendered in such great detail, making the Bonampak murals an unparalleled resource for understanding ancient society." It

8272-471: The west walls, depict warriors in the heat of battle. Bodies are intertwined on both the lower and the upper registers. Trumpets blast as the battle rages on (HF 7). As one begins to focus more and more on the individuals, a couple of artistic elements and their symbolic meanings become clear. The ancient Maya believed that to be left-handed was a sign of femininity and weakness, thus the warriors who are shown as defeated—including already being stripped nude, with

8366-409: The “ pi ” glyph represents units of 8,000 beans. Therefore, if this is so, it appears that there has been a tribute payment to Yajaw Chaan Muwan of 40,000 cacao beans, which is a considerable sum of wealth. Finally, in the vault across the whole scene in Room 1, the faces of the Sun God are shown as it moves across the sky. On the east wall, a large crocodilian, representing the vault of the sky, carries

8460-549: Was a dependency, and the border with Guatemala . While the site is not overly spatial or abundant in architectural size, it is well known for the murals located within the three roomed Structure 1 ( The Temple of the Murals) . The construction of the site's structures dates to the Late Classic period (c. AD 580 to 800). The Bonampak murals are noteworthy for being among the best-preserved Maya murals. The site, lying close to

8554-530: Was conducted in the early 1990s. INAH has consolidated and preserved the central portion of the site. Mayanist Tatiana Proskouriakoff did some pioneering work on deciphering Maya writing using the inscriptions of Yaxchilan, and was able to identify the glyphs for death, capture and captor. Since then Peter Mathews and others have expanded on her early work. Since 1990, the project La Pintura Mural Prehispánica en México (Prehispanic Wall Painting in Mexico) of

8648-462: Was not, therefore, created at a later date. Room 3: This is the scene of ritual celebration for victory in battle, including bloodletting by nobles, and contains 65 human figures. As with Rooms 1 and 2, the south wall is the first to be viewed. What captures one's attention immediately are the three elaborately dressed individuals in the upper register (HF's 16, 21, and 24) wearing tall, green, quetzal-feathered headdress and dancers wings. These are

8742-617: Was reburied in order to preserve it. Structure 21 is on a terrace below Structure 25 and 26. The three lintels over the doorways in this structure were Lintels 15 through to 17, although they were removed in the 19th century and are now in the British Museum in London. Structure 21 was excavated in 1983. The vaulted roof of the structure had already collapsed before 1882, filling the rooms with rubble that has now been removed, uncovering several important monuments, including Stela 35 and

8836-671: Was the first to be shown the huge paintings covering the walls of one of the structure's three rooms. The paintings show the story of a single battle and its victorious outcome. Bird Jaguar in the early 5th century fought against K'inich Tatb'u Skull I in Yaxchilan, and lost his freedom. Other nobles were captured in a later war against Knot-eye Jaguar I. In 514, Knot-eye Jaguar I was himself taken captive (by Ruler C of Piedras Negras), giving Bonampak some respite; but after 526, his successor K'inich Tatb'u Skull II attacked Bonampak again and captured more lords. Bonampak by 600 CE had become

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