What do the Yaxchilan lintels represent?
What do the Yaxchilan lintels represent?
All three were apparently commissioned by Lady Xoc for the doorways of Structure 23. The lintels show the elaborate costumes of the king and queen with remarkable detail and with an uncharacteristic lack of abstraction. These lintels are considered by some to be the pinnacle of Mayan Art.
Why are the lintels at Yaxchilan important?
Yaxchilán: a significant Maya center Many of the exteriors had elaborate decorations, but it is the carved stone lintels above their doorways which have made this site famous. These lintels, commissioned by the rulers of the city, provide a lengthy dynastic record in both text and image.
What is the historical significance of yaxchilan?
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.
What did the Mayan relief sculpture on Lintel 24 from yaxchilan depict?
The scene on Lintel 24 depicts Lord Shield Jaguar and Lady K’abal Xook engaged in a bloodletting rite that took place on 9.13. 17.15. 12 5 eb 15 mac in the Maya calendar (28 October AD 709).
Why was Yaxchilan built?
Yaxchilan is noteworthy for its sculpture both on free standing stelae and on buildings, especially lintels. The structure was built in honour of the mid-8th century CE Yaxchilan ruler Bird-Jaguar (ruled 752-768 CE) whose likeness appeared in stucco decorations in the centre of the building’s roof comb.
Who was Bird Jaguar IV?
Yaxun Bʼalam IV, also called Bird Jaguar IV, was a Mayan king from Yaxchilan. He ruled from 752 until 768 AD, continuing the period of prosperity started by his father Itzamnaaj Bʼalam II. He had to struggle to take and hold power, as he was not perceived to be the rightful heir to the throne.
What is Lady Xoc doing in the Yaxchilan carving?
In Lintel 24 Lady Xoc performs a blood sacrifice (or bloodletting ritual) by threading a thorned-rope through a hole in her tongue. In Yaxchilan, blood sacrifices were a way for kings to seek help or advice from departed ancestors.
What is Shield Jaguar and Lady Xoc?
As Shield Jaguar was a warrior king, Lady Xoc hands him a jaguar helmet for battle. In Maya civilization the jaguar was a symbol of power. She also appears to be handing Shield Jaguar a spear. Both the spear and the jaguar helmet appear in other monuments with King Shield Jaguar (Inomata and Houston).
Why was the yaxchilan built?
Who was Bird Jaguar IV What significance did he hold for the Mayan people?
Who was Shield Jaguar and Lady Xoc?
Lady was the ritual partner of King Shield Jaguar, Yaxchilan, a ceremonial city of Mayan culture. The specific actions of Lady Xoc are recorded on two carved lintels, currently housed the British Museum. In one lintel, Lady Xoc kneels next to a standing Shield Jaguar who is dressed in ceremonial costume.
Who is Xoc husband?
Itzamnaaj Bahlam III
Lady Xoc/Husband
Where are the lintels of the Yaxchilan located?
Lintel 26, the third in the series, is in the Museo Nacional de Antropología, in Mexico City. This limestone lintel, considered one of the masterpieces of Maya art, is one of a series of three panels from Structure 23 at Yaxchilán, where it was set above the left (south-east) doorway.
What are the three lintels on Structure 23?
The three lintels on Structure 23—known as lintels 24, 25, and 26—depict different ritual moments in the life of Lady Xook. While they appear to have been carved years apart from one another, they seem to show a narrative.
Who is Lady Xook in the Yaxchilan Lintel?
In this lintel, Lady Xook (in the lower right) kneels before a vision serpent, from whose mouth emerges a figure. Look closely at the detail below. Lady Xook holds a bowl in her left hand while she looks up towards the rising serpent.
What does the last glyph on the Mayan lintel mean?
The last glyph represents the Emblem Glyph (that is, the city name in Maya hierolglyphs) of Yaxchilán. The text on the left of the panel contains the name and titles of Lady K’ab’al Xook. The lintel has traces of Maya blue, turquoise and red pigment.
