10. Late Classic Flashcards
Notes 10
Late Classic
650 - 830 CE
Copan
In late classic Copan grows in size
Many pyramids and sculptures are commissioned by kings
Sculptures and masonry
are made of volcanic tuff –
a soft, easily carvable stone
(not limestone)
Copan: Temple of the
Hieroglyphic
Stairway
Built by two rulers (700-800 CE)
Characterized by 70 steps each with hieroglyphic carvings
Dynastic text totalling 2,500 individual glyphs longest known mayan text
Copan: Ball Court
one of the largest most elaborate classic mayan ballcourts
Includes 16 mosaic sculptures depicting scarlet macaw
Inscribed text indicates it was
completed in 738 CE
18 Rabbit
13th ruler of copan was known as 18 rabbit
took power in 695 CE and ruled until 738 CE
Celebrated for his contributions to the city’s
architecture and cultural development (hieroglyphic staircase, ballcourt etc)
commissioned seven monuments of himself with two headed centipede at chest
Transformed Copan into one of the four great mayan cities (Copan, Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque)
Quirigua
small city next to copan
Originally founded by subordinate of Yax Kuk Mo.
In 738 CE, Quirigua captures and
sacrifices 18 Rabbit and Copan falls into decline
Yuknoom Ch’een II (Yuknoom the great)
636 CE: establishes Calakmul as the Kanu’l Capital
Then he conquers dos pilas and makes in a vassal state
He takes control of cancuen (jade source) at upper region of pasion river
he has presided over the accession of king at El
Peru-Waka
657 CE: He conquers Tikal, makes its king his subordinate
Death of Yuknoom the great
Died in 686 CE, after ruling the Kaanu’l kingdom at Calakmul for 50 years
Was in his 80s when he died
Succeeded by Yuknoom Yich’aak K’ahk
Structure 2
Largest pyramid structure in calakmul
Originally a ceremonial-
ritual structure, but saw
addition of palace
structures and
workshops in the Classic
period
Chiik Nahb
within calakmuls urban centre is a great market named chiik nahb
designated by low exterior walls and mounds that served as stalls for vendors.(Maiz vendorsd, salt vendors, pottery vendors)
A 12-m shrine/temple located on the southern edge
Jasaw Chan K’awill
Tikal returns to prominence after Quirigua defeat with accession of Jasaw
IN 692, 10 years after his accession the first stela is erected after 130 year hiatus
stela 30 is completed in combo with altar 14
Stela 30 and Altar 14 (Twin pyramids)
stela 30 and altar 14 are from twin pyramid complex.
Two identical pyramids east/west
Wall Enclosure to the north
range building to the south
Built in tikal to celebrate 20 year katun cycle of the long count calendar
Tikal Regains Prominence
Three years after jasaw chan kawill rule begins he defeats king Yuknoom Yichaak Kahk of calakmul.
Temple I, lintel 3: A wooden Lintel that records Yuknooms defeat to jasaw chan kawill
Death of Jasaw Chan
K’awiil I
Jasaw Chan K’awiil I dies in 734 CE after
52-year reign
Buried in Temple I (right), which was
purpose-built as his funerary structure
Buried with elaborate offerings, including
cache of incised bones (example below
Calakmul Loses Grip on Power
Jasaw Chan K’awiil is
succeeded by his son (Yik’in
Chan Ka’wiil
He attacks Calakmul,
captures Yuknoom Took’
K’awiil and executes him
Already waning, Calakmul
looses grip on its hegemonic
power and does not recover
Images of Kingship: Sculptural Art
Late Classic period
provides some of the
finest examples of Maya
art
Created by specialists
and craftspeople who
were part of royal courts
Much of the finest Late
Classic art depicts
images of kingship
Lintel 24
shows king
of Yaxchilán
performing blood
letting ritual with his
wife Lady Xook
Bonampak Murals
Bonampak located in the
western lowlands, and
under control of Yaxchilán
in the Late Classic period
Murals dated to ca. 800
CE Within three rooms of
what is thought to be a
young men’s house
Historical narrative of a
battle, its aftermath, and
victory celebrations
Jaina Figurines
Mold-made, hand-
finished figurines painted
in vibrant polychromes
Most between 10-25 cm
tall
Palenque
Relatively small city until
early 600s, when it grew
rapidly under Lord Pakal
“The Great” (Shield)
between 615-683 CE.
Contains some of the finest architecture, sculpture, and
carvings of anywhere in the Maya world.
Pakal the Great built an
elaborate palace and the
Temple of the Inscriptions,
which housed his tomb
Pakal’s Palace: Palenque
Series of vaulted galleries
and rooms arranged around
interior courtyards or patios
Unique four-story tower
with interior stairway
(possibly watchtower)
Temple of the inscriptions:Palenque
Temple is atop a 20 m high
pyramid with a large stairway
contains three panels with
620 hieroglyphs
Floor covered by stone slabs but
one section of stones had double
row of removeable stone stoppers
Once opened up, it revealed a
vaulted stairway leading down into
the interior of the pyramid
Temple of Inscriptions: Interior
Bottom of stairs: chamber
with skeletons of six young
adults sacrificed for Pakal’s
burial
Funerary crypt behind
sacrifices is burial place of
Pakal
Images of his ancestors are carved on the tomb walls and his genealogy is inscribed on
he temple to legitimate his
right to rule.
Pakals Tomb
Tomb (as a whole) is among the
greatest archaeological discoveries
in Mesoamerica (1948-1952)
Jade mask, ear spools, piece of jade
in the mouth and in each hand
Buried in a stone sarcophagus
carved from single block of
limestone
