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Temple of the Sun, Palenque, Mexico. 692 A.D.
The original of this tablet is located at the
Temple of the Sun, 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 king Pacal on the left side, dressed in
burial apparel and holding a full-bodied
eccentric flint and a shield made of a flayed
human face, a symbol of war. Pacal still holds
the insignia of royal power; the passing of
authority will occur at the end of ten days of
accession rites. Chan-Bahlum is shown on the
other side holding an offering manequin of
maya god "K". At the center of the tablet, we
see a Sun Jaguar shield and crossed spears
supported aloft by an underworld throne with
bleeding jaguar heads emerging from one axis,
and bleeding snakes from the other,
representing decapitation sacrifice. The throne
rests on the shoulders of god "L" and another
aged god from the Underworld. Both are bent
over like captives, in representation of the
defeat of the Lords of Death at the beginning of
time by the Hero Twins who became the source
of life through magical rebirth after becoming
captive sacrificial victims.
The original of this tablet is located at the
Temple of the Sun, 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 king Pacal on the left side, dressed in
burial apparel and holding a full-bodied
eccentric flint and a shield made of a flayed
human face, a symbol of war. Pacal still holds
the insignia of royal power; the passing of
authority will occur at the end of ten days of
accession rites. Chan-Bahlum is shown on the
other side holding an offering manequin of
maya god "K". At the center of the tablet, we
see a Sun Jaguar shield and crossed spears
supported aloft by an underworld throne with
bleeding jaguar heads emerging from one axis,
and bleeding snakes from the other,
representing decapitation sacrifice. The throne
rests on the shoulders of god "L" and another
aged god from the Underworld. Both are bent
over like captives, in representation of the
defeat of the Lords of Death at the beginning of
time by the Hero Twins who became the source
of life through magical rebirth after becoming
captive sacrificial victims.
Size: 16"H x 20.5"W (40 x 52cm)
Item Type: wall plaque
Material: cultured marble
Item Type: wall plaque
Material: cultured marble