Yikʼin Chan KʼawiilThe ruler's name, when transcribed is ?-(ya)-CHAN-KʼAWI꞉L-la, translated "Kʼawiil that Darkens the Sky", Martin & Grube 2008, p.48. also known as Ruler B, Yaxkin Caan Chac and Sun Sky Rain, (before 734-c.746/766?), was an '' ajaw'' of 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 ...

. He took the throne on December 8, 734.These are the dates indicated on the Maya inscriptions in Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, Accession: 9.15.3.6.8 3 Lamat 6 Pax, Martin & Grube 2008, p.48.Martin & Grube 2008, p.48.

Biography

Identified by

Mayanist A Mayanist ( es, mayista) is a scholar specialising in research and study of the Mesoamerican pre-Columbian Maya civilisation. This discipline should not be confused with Mayanism, a collection of New Age beliefs about the ancient Maya. Mayan ...

epigraphers as the 27th ruler in Tikal's dynastic succession, Yikʼin Chan Kʼawiil was one of Tikal's most successful and expansionary rulers, consolidating the political gains won by his father,

Jasaw Chan Kʼawiil I Jasaw Chan Kʼawiil IThe ruler's name, when transcribed is ja-sa-wa CHAN-na-KʼAWI꞉L-la, translated "Kʼawiil that Clears? the Sky", Martin & Grube 2008, p.44. also known as Ruler A, Ah Cacao and Sky Rain (before 682-734), was an ''ajaw'' of the ...

. During his reign prolific building works were undertaken at Tikal, with a number of the site's significant still-standing structures commissioned or extended under his direction. Before advances in the decipherment of the

Maya script Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs, is historically the native writing system of the Maya civilization of Mesoamerica and is the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered. The earliest inscriptions found which ...

revealed this reading of his name, this ruler was also known to researchers as Tikal Ruler B. Yikʼin Kʼawiil conquered Calakmul in 736 and two other Calakmul allies in 743 and 744:

El Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy fo ...

to the east and

Naranjo Naranjo is a Pre-Columbian Maya city in the Petén Basin region of Guatemala. It was occupied from about 500 BC to 950 AD, with its height in the Late Classic Period. The site is part of Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park. The city lies along the ...

to the west, destroying the noose of power that had previously dominated the area. His principal wife was a princess of Palenque; her personal name is unknown, but her formal title was Lady

Yax Ahau Xoc Yax Ahau Xoc (8th-century) was a Mayan Queen of Tikal and the wife of Yik'in Chan K'awiil. Her personal name is unknown; in official writings, her son Yax Pasaj Chan Yopat identified her by the name and title ''Yax Ahau Xoc'' ("A Noble Young Read ...

. It is unknown exactly where his tomb lies, but strong

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

parallels between Burial 116 (the resting place of his father) and Burial 196, located in the diminutive

pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...

immediately south of

Tikal Temple II Tikal Temple II (or the Temple of the Masks, alternatively labelled by archaeologists as Tikal Structure 5D-2) is a Mesoamerican pyramid at the Maya archaeological site of Tikal in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala. The temple was built i ...

and referred to as Structure 5D-73, suggest the latter may be the tomb of Yikʼin Chan Kawiil. Other possible locations, and likely candidates as mortuary shrines, include

Tikal Temple IV Tikal Temple IV is a Mesoamerican pyramid in the ruins of the ancient Maya city of Tikal in modern Guatemala. It was one of the tallest and most voluminous buildings in the Maya world.Morales et al 2008, p.421. The pyramid was built around 741 AD. ...

and

Tikal Temple VI Tikal Temple VI (also known as the Temple of the Inscriptions and Structure 6F-27) is a Mesoamerican pyramid in the ruins of the major Maya city of Tikal, in the Petén Department, Petén department of northern Guatemala. Temple VI is located at th ...

.Martin & Grube 2008, p.50. The monuments and texts associated with Yikʼin Chan Kʼawiil are: Stelae 5, 20? and 21; Altars 2, 8? and 9; Column Altars 1, 2? and 3?; Temple 4 Lintels 2 and 3; Lintel from Structure 5D-52; Tikal Rock Sculpture?.

Notes

Footnotes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kawiil, Yikin Chan Rulers of Tikal 8th century in the Maya civilization 8th-century monarchs in North America 8th century in Guatemala