Yaxchilán, Chiapas Mayastätte an Grenze zu Guatemala Mexiko

Structure 12 is a small structure in the Central Acropolis, close to the river. Structure 8 is located in the Main Plaza in front of Structure 7 and divides the plaza into northwestern and southeastern sections. The structure has a surviving perforated roof comb and is believed to date to the Early Classic. 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.

Before the rule of king Itzamnaaj Balam II, who reigned from 681 to 742, the city was relatively small. Yaxchilan (pronounced ʝaʃtʃiˈlan) is an ancient Maya city located on the bank of the Usumacinta River in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. It is undated and depicts three incised figures and some hieroglyphs. It is a particularly unusual monument because it is sculpted from a stalactite.

It was discovered during excavations of the structure in 1984. Lintel 50 is set into Structure 13 in the Central Acropolis. The king is shown preparing for a battle that took place in 755, his wife is offering him his spear, she is Lady Wak Jalam Chan Ajaw from the site of Motul de San José in the Petén Lakes region of Guatemala. Lintel 38, Lintel 39 and Lintel 40 have been reset in their original positions in Structure 16 in the Central Acropolis.

Late Classic

• 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.
• 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 is shown kneeling before the enemy king with his wrists bound.
• Hieroglyphic inscriptions dating to the Late Classic describe a series of wars in the Early Classic between the city and its neighbors.

The lintel was carved from limestone and is one of a series of lintels set in the same structure that celebrate the victories of king Bird Jaguar IV. It is one of a series of three lintels that were set above the doorways of Structure 23, this one having been set above the southeast doorway. 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. The structure contains a series of hieroglyphic lintels describing the birth and accession of king Bird Jaguar IV. 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. 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.

The doorways that open onto the plaza were blocked up in antiquity and new doorways were cut into the sides of the structure. It is in a good state of preservation and has six doorways, three facing the plaza and three facing the river. The stela is fairly small and depicts Lady Eveningstar (also known as Lady Ik Skull), the mother of king Bird Jaguar IV.

Yaxchilan: Verstecktes Juwel der Maya-Kultur

• It is part of a series of three lintels bearing a continuous hieroglyphic text detailing the birth and accession of king Bird Jaguar IV.
• It has been restored and also has three doorways opening onto a single room and the remains of a perforated roof comb.
• Structure 8 is located in the Main Plaza in front of Structure 7 and divides the plaza into northwestern and southeastern sections.

Structure 23 is in the Central Acropolis, overlooking the Main Plaza. Structure 20 was excavated by Ian Graham in 1982, during the excavations a hieroglyphic step was found in front of the building, it was reburied in order to preserve it. A small amount of the roof comb of the building remains, and the sloped roof still has surviving friezes containing niches. The structure is a temple with rooms spread over three levels, linked by interior stairways. It contains Lintels 38 through to 40, which have been reset in their original positions. 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.

Stelae

The site is particularly known for its well-preserved sculptured stone lintels set above the doorways of the main structures. Lintel 31 is another part of the series of three hieroglyphic lintels set into Structure 10. Lintel 30 is part of the lintel series carved with a continuous hieroglyphic text set into Structure 10. It is part of a series of three lintels bearing a continuous hieroglyphic text detailing the birth and accession of king Bird Jaguar IV. Each of the three doorways contained sculptured lintels and two hieroglyphic steps.

However, it was too heavy to fly and was returned to Yaxchilan in 1965 and now lies near the bank of the river. It is largely intact and depicts the 7th-century ruler Bird Jaguar III. Stela 3 stands on a platform in the middle of a plaza by Structure 20.

Lintel 12 was originally set into Structure 20 in the Central Acropolis. Lintel 1 is above the eastern doorway of Structure 33 in the Central Acropolis. Structure 67 is the southeast ballcourt, located in the Central Acropolis. The central doorway is stepped and the front wall has been buttressed. It is not as well preserved as Structures 39 and 40 and much of the vaulted roof has collapsed.

Stelae 12 and 13 stand before structure 40 and Stela 11 once stood between them. The remains of a perforated roof comb survive, with tenons that once supported stucco decoration. Tennons on both roof sections once supported stucco decoration. The structure has two parallel rooms with well-preserved vaulting. Structure 26 is located beside Structure 25 in the Central Acropolis and has not been excavated. Structure 23 is dedicated to Lady K’ab’al Xook, a wife of the king.

Stela 31 is located a short distance in front of Structure 33. There are various dates inscribed on the stela with the earliest being 741. The figures and the accompanying hieroglyphic panel are very well preserved.

The monument dates to 514 and depicts the king Knot-eye Jaguar I. This stela is the earliest known from Yaxchilan. The upper side of the stela depicts king Bird Jaguar IV and his father. Unlike most of the other lintels at Yaxchilan, they are sculpted on their edges instead of the undersides. It was sculpted from limestone in the 6th century under the rule of K’inich Tatb’u Skull II and records a series of victories including that over the great city of Calakmul. It is sculpted from limestone and was originally set above the northwest doorway of the central room. It was sculpted from limestone and was originally set above the central doorway of the central room.

Yaxchilan is located on the south bank of the River, at the apex of a horseshoe-shaped meander. Epigraphers think that the ancient name for the city was probably the same as that of its realm, Pa’ Chan. Architectural styles in subordinate sites in the Usumacinta region demonstrate clear differences that mark a clear boundary between the two kingdoms.

Maudslay ordered several lintels to be removed, and the British Museum acquired lintels 24 in 1932. 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. 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 is shown kneeling before the enemy king with his wrists bound. Knot-eye Jaguar I was a warlike king who was recorded as capturing nobles from Bonampak, Piedras Negras, and the great city of Tikal. Hieroglyphic inscriptions dating to the Late Classic describe a series of wars in the Early Classic between the city and its neighbors.

Yaxchilan: Verstecktes Juwel der Maya-Kultur

Lintel 29 is set into Structure 10 in the Central Acropolis. It shows a bloodletting ritual being carried out by king Itzamnaaj B’alam II and his wife Lady K’ab’al Xook, the king stands holding a burning torch over his wife, who pulls a spiked rope through her tongue. Lintel 24 is sculpted from limestone and is regarded as a masterpiece of Maya art. The king watches while his wife pulls a rope through her tongue draw blood. Lintel 16 also spanned a doorway in Structure 21 and was removed to the British Museum in 1982–3. Lintel 15 originally spanned a doorway in Structure 21, it was removed to the British Museum in 1982–83.

The structure had a series if carved limestone lintels that depict Bird Jaguar IV’s efforts to consolidate power, emulating events carried out by his father Itzamnaaj B’alam II. It is one of three principal structures atop the highest vantage point in the city and a series of stelae was set in front of it that described the military campaigns of Itzamnaaj B’alam II. 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.

Hieroglyphic stairways

These lintels, together with the stelae erected before the major buildings, contain hieroglyphic texts describing the dynastic history of the city. Lintel 26 was the third in the series set above the doorways of Structure 23, it is now in the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City. The events depicted on the lintel are described as having occurred “in front of the water of Siyan Chan”, a reference to the main plaza of the city being located on the shore of the Usumacinta River.

Lintel 14 is set above a doorway in Structure 20 and is particularly well preserved. It had fallen when the roof of the building collapsed but has since been reset. It depicts K’inich Yat Ahk II of Piedras Negras as a captive of Yaxchilan king K’inich Tatbu Skull IV. It depicts 8th-century king Bird Jaguar IV accompanied by his wife Lady Great Skull Zero. It has six sculpted risers consisting of various carved blocks, many of which are heavily eroded. The sculpted texts from this building provide an account of the 8th century resurgence of the city.

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. Structure 30 is in the Central Acropolis, it has three doorways facing onto the Plaza. The temple facade has four doorways, with three doorway-sized niches between them. The structure is located in the Central Acropolis close to one of the ballcourts. It contained eight lintels dating to the early 6th century.

Stelae

Lintel 25 was originally set above the central doorway of Structure 23. The lintel depicts Bird Jaguar IV and his wife Lady B’alam Mut participating in a bloodletting ritual. Lintel 17 was another lintel from a doorway in Structure 21 that is now in the British Museum. Lintel 15 depicts Lady Wak Tuun, one of the wives of king Bird Jaguar IV, during a bloodletting ritual that results in the appearance of the Vision Serpent. It was originally set above the southeast doorway of the central room. Like Lintels 16 and 17 from the same series, it was carved from limestone.

The city-state then grew to a regional capital and the dynasty lasted into the early 9th century. Some retrospective inscriptions appear to have been used to rewrite Yaxchilan’s dynastic history to suit king Bird Jaguar IV. It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) downriver from the Maya site Altar de Sacrificios. The site lies in Ocosingo Municipality in the state of Chiapas, on the Mexican side of the international border with Guatemala, which follows the line of river. The site is 40 kilometres (25 mi) upriver from the ruins of Piedras Negras, its major rival.