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Enthronement of K'inich Janaab' Pakal I at Palenque

615 CE

Historical illustration: Enthronement of K'inich Janaab' Pakal I at Palenque
Historical illustration: Enthronement of K'inich Janaab' Pakal I at Palenque

Enthronement of Palenque's greatest king, builder of the Temple of the Inscriptions and his monumental sarcophagus.

Historical Context

Palenque (Lakamha') had suffered two successive devastating sacks inflicted by Calakmul. The local dynasty faced extinction and the city lay in ruins.

The Event

On July 29, 615 CE (9.9.2.4.8), 12-year-old K'inich Janaab' Pakal I was crowned king of Palenque by his mother, Queen Sak K'uk'. He would rule for 68 years (until 683).

Key Figures

K'inich Janaab' Pakal I (Pakal the Great), Queen Sak K'uk' (His mother and regent), K'inich Kan Bahlam II (his son and successor).

Aftermath

Pakal completely rebuilt Palenque, constructing the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Inscriptions housing his monumental sealed sarcophage.

Legacy & Culture

Pakal's jade mask and carved sarcophagus lid (depicting the cosmic tree and rebirth) stand as masterworks of world art.

Historiography

Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier's 1952 discovery of Pakal's intact tomb is widely compared to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Sources and References

ARCHEOLOGY

Panneau de l'Ovale du Palais & Tombeau du Temple des Inscriptions à Palenque

Consulter l'archive officielle ↗
LITERATURE

Linda Schele & David Freidel, A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya

Reliability index : ★★★★★

Semantic cluster

Maya civilization cluster

Preclassic to Postclassic: Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, calendar and collapses.

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