The Visionary Mayan Queen: Yohl Ik'Nal of Palenque (36 page)

“May I ask, honored High Priest, what you will do with this information?” Ah K’uch was curious. “Needless to say, this information shall I keep solely to myself.”

Pasah Chan smiled warmly at the aged man, sincerely appreciative of his help.

“It is you who are the honored one, Elder Priest, for your exceptional work. This shall I do: I will take the boy Pakal into training early to become a shaman-ruler.”

The old priest nodded and chuckled.

“It is fitting. Now have I one request for you. Allow me to also teach the boy, while I have yet the mind and strength. For he should know the antiquated language of our forbears and study their prophetic codices.”

“It is done.”

List of Characters and Places (From Yohl Ik’nal Book I)

Yohl Ik’nal* – first female ruler of Lakam Ha (Palenque) 583-604 CE

Kan Bahlam I* – ruler of Lakam Ha 574-583 CE, father of Yohl Ik’nal

Ahkal Mo’ Nab II* – ruler of Lakam Ha 565-570 CE, older brother of Kan Bahlam

Xoc Akal – mother of Yohl Ik’nal

Hun Pakal* - husband of Yohl Ik’nal

Lahun Uc – High Priestess, mentor of Yohl Ik’nal

Wak Batz – High Priest, chief ceremonial authority

Ek Chuuah – distant cousin of Yohl Ik’nal, moves to Usihwitz, plots against Lakam Ha

Sak Nicte – best girl/woman friend to Yohl Ik’nal

Na’kin – girl/woman friend to Yohl Ik’nal

Tulix – girl/woman friend to Yohl Ik’nal

Yax Kab – elder statesman, trusted advisor of Kan Bahlam

Mut Yokte – Nakom/War Chief of Kan Bahlam

Chakab – warrior, strong supporter of Kan Bahlam, later Nakom/War Chief

Zotz Choj* – Sahal/ruler of Popo’ 560-578 CE

Chak B’olon Chaak* – Sahal/ruler of Popo’ 578-595 CE

Joy Bahlam* – Sahal/ruler of Usihwitz circa 586 CE

Cuauc Ahk* – Sahal/ruler of Yokib 510-602 CE

Mat Ek’ – Priestess of Ix Chel

Aj Ne Ohl Mat* - ruler of Lakam Ha 604-612 CE, son of Yohl Ik’nal and Hun Pakal

Sak K’uk* – ruler of Lakam Ha 612-615 CE, daughter of Yohl Ik’nal and Hun Pakal

Nohpat – farmer in village near Lakam Ha

Halil – wife of Nohpat

Tz’un – daughter of Nohpat

Uxul – son of Nohpat, gifted stone carver

Tilkach – trusted court advisor to Yohl Ik’nal

Itzam Ik – trusted court advisor to Yohl Ik’nal

Yaxun Zul – wealthy noble, royal lineage, leader of opposition to Bahlam family

Kan Mo’ Hix* – son of Yaxun Zul, husband of Sak K’uk

Chak’ok – warrior, member of opposition

Kab’ol – warrior, member of opposition, brother of Ek Chuuah

Uc Ayin – noble courtier to Yaxun Zul, stays neutral

Buluc Max – Royal Steward to Yohl Ik’nal

Mas Batz – dwarf of Royal Court of Yohl Ik’nal

Zac Amal – Nephew of Usihwitz ruler

B’ay Kutz – Royal Tutor to children of Yohl Ik’nal

Hix Chapat* – son of Popo’ ruler

Hohmay – daughter of Popo’ ruler

Janaab Pakal I* – son of Sak K’uk and Kan Mo’ Hix, ruler of Lakam Ha 615-683 CE

K’uk Bahlam I* – first ruler of Lakam Ha 432-435 CE (Bahlam lineage founder)

Cities and Polities

Matawiil – mythohistoric origin lands at Six Sky Place

Toktan – ancestral city of K’uk Bahlam, founder of Lakam Ha dynasty

B’aakal – “Kingdom of the Bone,” polity governed by Lakam Ha (Palenque)

Lakam Ha – (Palenque) “Big Waters,” major city of B’aakal polity, May Ku

Kan – refers to residence city of Kan (Snake) Dynasty

Uxte’tun – (Kalakmul) early home city of Kan Dynasty, usurped by Zotz (Bat) Dynasty

Dzibanche – home city of Kan dynasty (circa 400-600 CE)

Ka’an – “Kingdom of the Snake,” polity governed by Kan

Usihwitz – (Bonampak) in B’aakal polity, later enemy of Lakam Ha, allied with Kan

Popo’ – (Tonina) in B’aakal polity, linked to Lakam Ha by royal marriage

Yokib – (Piedras Negras) in B’aakal polity, later allied with Kan

Wa-Mut – (Wa-Bird, Santa Elena) in B’aakal polity

Sak Tz’i – (White Dog) in B’aakal polity, later allied with Kan

Anaay Te – (Anayte) in B’aakal polity

B’aak – (Tortuguero) in B’aakal polity

Pakab – (Pomona, Pia) in Ka’an polity, joined Usihwitz in raid on Lakam Ha

Pa’chan – (Yaxchilan) in Ka’an polity

Uxwitza – (Caracol) allied with Mutul, later with Kan

Mutul – (Tikal) great city of southern region, ally of Lakam Ha, enemy of Kan

Nab’nahotot – (Comalcalco) city on coast of Great North Sea (Gulf of Mexico)

B’uuk – (Las Alacranes) city where Kan installed puppet ruler

Nahokan – (Quirigua) southern city, ally of Oxwitik

Oxwitik – (Copan) southern city allied with Lakam Ha by marriage

Tan-nal – (Seibal) southern city, ally of Maxam

Imix-ha – (Dos Pilas) southern city, ally of Tan-nal and Kan

Maxam/Saal – (Naranjo) southern city, initially offshoot of Mutul, then ally of Kan

Kan Witz-nal – (Ucanal) southern city, ally of Kan and Tan-nal, former Mutul ally

Waka’ – (El Peru) ally of Kan, enemy of Mutul

Peten – lowlands area in north Guatemala, densely populated with Maya sites

Places and Rivers

K’uk Lakam Witz – Fiery Water Mountain, sacred mountain of Lakam Ha

Nab’nah – Great North Sea (Gulf of Mexico)

K’ak-nab – Great East Sea (Gulf of Honduras, Caribbean Sea)

Wukhalal – lagoon of seven colors (Bacalar Lagoon)

K’umaxha – Sacred Monkey River (Usumacinta River), largest river in region,

crosses plains north of Lakam Ha, empties into Gulf of Mexico

Michol – river on plains northwest of Lakam Ha, flows below city plateau

Chakamax – river flowing into K’umaxha, southeast of Lakam Ha

Tulixha – large river (Tulija River) flowing near B’aak

Chih Ha – subsidiary river (Chinal River) flows into Tulixha

B’ub’ulha – western river (Rio Grijalva) flowing into Gulf of Mexico near Nab’nahotot

Pokolha – southern river (Rio Motagua) by Nahokan, near Oxwitik

Small rivers flowing across Lakam Ha ridges

Kisiin – Diablo River

Bisik – Picota River

Tun Pitz – Piedras Bolas

Ixha – Motiepa River

Otolum – Otolum River

Sutzha – Murcielagos River

Balunte – Balunte River

Ach’ – Ach’ River

Maya Deities

Hunab K’u (Hun Ahb K’u) – Supreme Being, source of all, giver of movement and measure

Muwaan Mat (Duck Hawk, Cormorant) – Primordial Mother Goddess, mother of B’aakal Triad

Hun Ahau (One Lord) – First born of Triad, Celestial Realm

Mah Kinah Ahau (Underworld Sun Lord) – Second born of Triad, Underworld Realm, Jaguar Sun, Underworld Sun-Moon, Waterlily Jaguar

Unen K’awill (Infant Powerful One) – Third born of Triad, Earthly Realm, patron of

royal bloodlines, lightning in forehead, snake-footed, called Manikin Scepter

Ahauob (Lords) of the First Sky:

B’olon Chan Yoch’ok’in (Sky That Enters the Sun) – 9 Sky Place

Waklahun Ch’ok’in (Emergent Young Sun) – 16 Sky Place

B’olon Tz’ak Ahau (Conjuring Lord) – 9 Sky Place

Ix Chel – Earth Mother Goddess, healer, midwife, weaver of life, fertility and abundance,

commands snake energies, waters and fluids, Lady Rainbow

Hun Hunahpu – Maize God, First Father, resurrected by Hero Twins, ancestor of Mayas

Yum K’ax – Young Maize God, foliated god of growing corn (overlaps Hun Hunahpu)

Wuqub’ Kaquix – Seven Macaw, false deity of polestar, defeated by Hero Twins

Hun Ahau – (Hunahpu), first Hero Twin

Yax Bahlam – (Xbalanque), second Hero Twin

Wakah Chan Te – Jeweled Sky Tree, connects the three dimensions (roots-Underworld,

trunk-Middleworld, branches-Upperworld)

Xibalba – Underworld, realm of the Lords of Death

Xmucane – Grandmother, Heart of Earth, Goddess of Transformation

Bacabs – Lords of the Four Directions, Hold up the Sky

Titles

Ahau – Lord

Ixik – Lady

Ix – honorable way to address women

Ah – honorable way to address men

K’uhul Ahau – Divine/Holy Lord

K’uhul Ixik - Divine/Holy Lady

Ah K’in – Solar Priest

Ix K’in – Solar Priestess

Nakom – War Chief

Sahal – ruler of subsidiary city

Ah Kuch Kab – head of village (Kuchte’el)

Chilam – spokesperson, prophet

Batab – town governor, local leader from noble lineage

Kalomte – K’uhul Ahau ruling several cities, used often at Mutul and Oxwitik

May Ku – seat of the
may
cycle (260 tuns, 256 solar years), dominant city of region

Yahau – His Lord (high subordinate noble)

Yahau K’ak – His Lord of Fire (high ceremonial-military noble)

Ba-ch’ok – heir designate

Juntan – precious one, signifies relationship between mother and child as well as between

deities and ahau, also translated “beloved of”

Dynasty of Lakam Ha (Palenque)

Codes: b. born a. acceded d. died r. ruled

All dates are CE

Long Count Maya Calendar

Although considered a vigesimal (20 base) system, the Maya used modifications in 2 places for calendric and numerological reasons. In Classic times the counts went from 0 to 19 in all but the 2
^nd
position, in which they went from 0 to 17. Postclassic adaptations changed the counts to begin with 1, making them 1 to 20 and 1 to 18.

After 19 Kin occur, the Uinal count goes up by 1 on the next day; after 17 Uinal the Tun count goes up by 1 on the next day, after 19 Tun the Katun count goes up by 1 the next day, and after 19 Katun the Baktun count goes up by 1 the next day.

Thus, we see this progression in the Long Count:

11.19.19.17.19 + 1 kin (day) = 12.0.0.0.0

Increasingly larger units of time beyond the Baktun are: Piktun, Kalabtun, Kinchiltun, and Alautun. These were usually noted by placing 13 in the counts larger than Baktun, indicating 13 to a multiple of the 20
^th
power:

13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0

When a 13 Baktun is reached, this signifies the end of a Great Cycle of 1,872,000 kins (days) or 5200 tuns (5125.2567 solar years). But this does not signify the end of the Maya calendar. Larger baktun units occur on stela with numbers above 13, indicating that this count went up to 19 before converting into the next higher unit in the 6
^th
position. When the 5
^th
position (Baktun) reaches 19, on the following day the 6
^th
position (Pictun) becomes 1 and the 5
^th
position becomes 0. This results in a Long Count such as that projected by glyphs at Palenque to a Gregorian date of 4772 AD (GMT correlation), written as 1.0.0.0.0.0.