Lady K'abel (7th-century - between 702 and 711) was the

queen regnant A queen regnant (plural: queens regnant) is a female monarch, equivalent in rank and title to a king, who reigns ''suo jure'' (in her own right) over a realm known as a "kingdom"; as opposed to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reignin ...

of the Maya Wak kingdom between 672 and 692 AD. She is also referred to by the names Lady Water Lily Hand and Lady Snake Lord.

Life

She was a member of the powerful Snake dynasty of Calakmul. She married a man of lower rank named K'inich Bahlam II.
The Maya: a Very Short Introduction
' Together, they ruled

El Perú , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, a vassal town of Calakmul. She was clearly given higher status and rank than her spouse. Regarding their respective stela, hers is more elaborate—she is depicted in full royal regalia and served by a slave, neither of which was the case for her husband, and she alone had the royal title ''Ix Kaloomte’'' (which may mean something like ‘Lady Supreme Warlord’), a title more common among men and one of the highest royal titles.
Archaeology at El Perú-Waka': Ancient Maya Performances of Ritual, Memory
' She is speculated to have led armies against the Maya city of

Tikal Tikal () (''Tik’al'' in modern Mayan orthography) is the ruin of an ancient city, which was likely to have been called Yax Mutal, found in a rainforest in Guatemala. It is one of the largest archeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Co ...

. She ruled

between 672 and 692. However, the date for her death is contested and was probably between 702 and 711.

Burial site

In October 2012, the suspected tomb and remains of an important Maya queen were discovered at

. Excavations led by

David Freidel David Freidel (born 1946) is a U.S. archaeologist who studies the ancient Maya. He is known for his research at El Perú-Waka’ and his books with epigrapher Linda Schele. He is currently a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. He rec ...

Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

uncovered a tomb in the city's main pyramid temple and it was identified as belonging to Lady K’abel, the military ruler of the Wak kingdom between 672 and 692 AD. The body inside was buried with various offerings, including "ceramic vessels, jade jewellery, stone figurines, and a small alabaster jar carved in the shape of a conch shell, out of which the carved head and arms of an old woman emerge". Maya hieroglyphs on the back of the jar include the names "Lady Water Lily Hand" and "Lady Snake Lord", according to the study team. Both names are thought to refer to Lady K'abel, who governed the Wak kingdom for her family, the empire-building Kan, or "Snake", dynasty, based in the Maya capital Calakmul.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lady K'abel K'abel Maya monarchs 7th-century women rulers 2012 archaeological discoveries