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Temple of the Foliated Cross, Palenque,
Mexico. 698 A.D.
The original of this tablet is located in the
temple of the foliated cross, one of the three
temples in Palenque, known as the Group of
the Cross, built by King Chan-Bahlum to
commemorate and celebrate his accession rites
to the throne after the death of his father, king
Pacal. The tablet shows Chan Bahlum on the
left side, dressed simply with a loin cloth and his
long hair wrapped in readiness to don the
heavy headdress of kingship. His father Pacal
stands on the other side, dressed in burial
apparel. Pacal holds the insignia of royal power,
the passing of authority will occur at the end of
ten days of accession rites. In the center we
see a variant of the tree of life formed by a
maize plant rising from a band of water and the
Kan-cross Waterlily Monster, which symbolizes
the waters of the earth as the source of life. In
the crown of the tree sits a huge water bird
wearing the mask of the Celestial Bird. The
branches of the tree are ears of maize
manifested as human heads since in Maya
tradition, human flesh was made from maize
dough. Pacal is shown giving to his son a
personified bloodletter, an instrument for
bloodletting rituals and vision quests. It drew the
blood of the King and brought on the trance
that opened the portal to Shivalva (the Maya
underworld) and brought forth the Gods.
Mexico. 698 A.D.
The original of this tablet is located in the
temple of the foliated cross, one of the three
temples in Palenque, known as the Group of
the Cross, built by King Chan-Bahlum to
commemorate and celebrate his accession rites
to the throne after the death of his father, king
Pacal. The tablet shows Chan Bahlum on the
left side, dressed simply with a loin cloth and his
long hair wrapped in readiness to don the
heavy headdress of kingship. His father Pacal
stands on the other side, dressed in burial
apparel. Pacal holds the insignia of royal power,
the passing of authority will occur at the end of
ten days of accession rites. In the center we
see a variant of the tree of life formed by a
maize plant rising from a band of water and the
Kan-cross Waterlily Monster, which symbolizes
the waters of the earth as the source of life. In
the crown of the tree sits a huge water bird
wearing the mask of the Celestial Bird. The
branches of the tree are ears of maize
manifested as human heads since in Maya
tradition, human flesh was made from maize
dough. Pacal is shown giving to his son a
personified bloodletter, an instrument for
bloodletting rituals and vision quests. It drew the
blood of the King and brought on the trance
that opened the portal to Shivalva (the Maya
underworld) and brought forth the Gods.
Size: 13"H x 19"W (33 x 48cm)
Item Type: wall plaque
Material: cultured marble
Item Type: wall plaque
Material: cultured marble