Yaxchilán - a significant Maya center :

Yaxchilán is located on south bank of Usumacinta River, Chiapas, Mexico. It was a significant  Maya center during Classic period (250–900 AD) and a number of its buildings stand to this day. Many of the exteriors had elaborate decorations, but it is carved stone lintels above their doorways which have made this site famous. These lintels, commissioned by rulers of city, provide a lengthy dynastic record in both text and image. These relief sculptures, known as Yaxchilan lintels. Sculptures were placed above doorways that led into a single space in a court building.

Lintels 24, 25 and 26, set above three doorways of Structure 23, depict a series of rituals performed by Shield Jaguar II and his wife. Structure 21, commissioned by Bird Jaguar IV, housed lintels 15, 16 and 17. Bird Jaguar was Yaxchilán’s most prolific builder and at least a dozen major structures were initiated or remodelled during his reign.

In lintel 16, Bird Jaguar IV dominates a captive. Scenes representing public display of captives occur frequently in Maya art. Capture of sacrificial victims was an essential aspect of Maya warfare, as they were necessary for many rituals. Accession rituals, for example, entailed the offering of dedicatory human sacrifices to mark enthronement of a new ruling lord.

Lintels 24 and 25 are on permanent display in British Museum’s Mexican Gallery. Lintel 26, third in series, is in Museo Nacional de Antropología, 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. The scene represents a bloodletting ritual performed by the king of Yaxchilán, Shield Jaguar the Great (681–742 AD), and his wife, Lady K’ab’al Xook (Itzamnaaj Bahlen III).

Wearing an exquisitely woven “huipil,” Lady K’abal Xook pulls a thorned rope through her tongue in principal form of blood sacrifice perfomed by royal women. Rope falls on to an open codex. Her pierced tongue allowed her blood to flow as part of a ritual communication with gods and spirits. This sacrifice mirrored Maya story of creation, when gods let their blood to create human race. By choosing to take part in ritual, queen demonstrated both her moral and physical strength to people, and her suitability as a Maya royal. Scrolls of blood can be seen around her mouth. She kneels in front of Shield Jaguar who holds a great torch described in text as a “burning spear” illuminating a ritual that was probably held at night or set in dark recess of a private chamber.

Both king and queen are richly attired with Sun God pectorals. Human head worn by Shield Jaguar over his brow may be a shrunken battle trophy.

Bloodletting wascommon practice in Maya life from Late Preclassic period (400 BC – 250 AD) onwards, and an essential part of rulership and of all public rituals. Maya elite drew blood from various parts of their bodies using lancets made of stingray spine, flint, bone or obsidian. These objects are often found in burials and other archaeological contexts, though other perishable materials, like rope and bark-paper strips seen on lintel, are now lost.

First two glyphs in text at top of lintel indicate event and date on which it took place, October 24, 709 AD (5 Eb, 15 Mak in Maya calendar). Last glyph represents the Emblem Glyph (that is, city name in Maya hierolglyphs) of Yaxchilán. Text on left of panel contains name and titles of Lady K’ab’al Xook. Lintel has traces of Maya blue, turquoise and red pigment.

Site of Yaxchilán was only rediscovered in 19th Century as it stood in midst of dense tropical forest and Maya glyphs only began to be translated in 1960s.

📷 : Yaxchilán limestone lintel 24, structure 23, after 709 AD, Lady K’abal Xook pulling a thorned rope through her tongue, Maya, Late Classic period, limestone (109x78x6cm), Mexico.

Trustees of the British Museum

#archaeohistories

点击图片查看原图