Calakmul Part 6 of 6: The murals of the Ch'iik Naahb Acropolis show daily life in ancient times

Detail of a mural from Structure 1. One of the better-known of Ch'iik Naanb's murals includes a woman in a diaphanous blue dress helping another woman with a large pot. The murals were found during archeological work on a small pyramid called Structure 1. While murals at other Maya sites depict gods, kings, or nobility, the ones at Ch'iik Naahb are unique in showing commoners pursuing daily activities. 

This posting focuses on Structure 1, of Acropolis Ch'iik Naahb. Most of my information is drawn from two archeological reports. One focuses on the images and the other on the hieroglyphic captions that accompany them. Except for one, all photos and diagrams in this posting come from those two reports. The one exception is the photo of the exterior of Structure 1 as it appears today. The murals are inside the pyramid and were not open to the public when we visited.

Overview

Site map of Calakmul showing Acropolis Ch'iik Naahb. The Acropolis is located directly to the north of the Gran Plaza, which I covered earlier in this series. Ch'iik Naahb ("Place of the Water Lily") is one of the ancient names used to describe Calakmul. Archeologists decided to give this label to the acropolis containing Structure 1.

The name Calakmul ("Two Adjacent Mounds") was created by Cyrus Lundell to describe the ruins he found in 1931. On the map above, an arrow points to the location of Structure 1. (Map from Daily Life of the Ancient Maya recorded on murals at Calakmul, by Ramon Carrasco Vargas, et al.)

Another detail from the mural containing the Woman in Blue . The man shown is seated behind the woman with the pot on her head. He is drinking atole, a hot drink based on corn hominy flour. It is still popular all over Mexico. The modern version is flavored with cane sugar, cinnamon vanilla and sometimes includes chocolate or fruit. Atole has the consistency of thick Cream of Wheat cereal.

The drinker wears ear rings and has a scarf on his head. Like all the men depicted in the murals, he is bare-chested. The caption in the upper left translates as "Atole Person". However, this doesn't refer to the drinker but to the women with the pot. Usually, captions accompanying Maya murals provide individual names. However, these only describe roles. Like the focus on common people, this is very unusual in Maya murals.

Layout of Acropolis Ch'iik Naahb. The Acropolis is roughly square and measures about 150m (492ft) per side. In total, it covers approximately 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres). Within its boundaries are 68 structures grouped in 11 clusters, alphabetically labeled as Groups A through I. Cluster I contains the tallest building in the Acropolis, the three-level pyramid called Structure 1. So far, the only detailed information I have been able to find on Acropolis Ch'iik Naahb focuses solely on Structure 1 and its murals. 

There are two sets of murals within the acropolis. The first is in Group A, which forms the southern boundary of Ch'iik Naahb. I did not see or photograph these, but the reports describe aquatic scenes painted along the boundary wall. The second set was found when archeologists tunneled inside Structure 1. The pyramid has a total of six substructures. The murals decorate the corners of the pyramid and sides of the stairs on the fourth substructure, called Sub 1-4. 

Structure 1

Structure 1, as it stands today. This the only photo taken by me in this posting. The pyramid has three-levels, with a broad area on the third level that once contained a temple made from perishable materials. The main staircase (on left) has a disk-shaped altar at its base. What you see above is the reconstruction of the latest version of the structure. It covers the earlier versions, and each of those covers the one previous to it. 

Of the six substructures, the earliest (Sub 1-6) was built approximately 420 AD in the Early Classic period. The five succeeding substructures were all built during the Late Classic (600-900 AD). Ceramic fragments buried in the construction fill allowed a fairly accurate chronology. Structure 1, along with the rest of Group I, seems to have functioned as the religious and administrative center of Acropolis Ch'iik Naahb. The Acropolis may have functioned as a large market or possibly as a site to distribute tribute. 

Schematic of Sub 1-4. This substructure has a square plan measuring 11m (36ft) on a side and 4.7m (15.4ft) tall. The stairways are 5m (16.4ft) wide and are oriented to the four sacred directions. The three-tiered corners between the stairs contain a total of 48 separate scenes, with 39 uncovered as of 2012. The scenes in the southeastern corner are in the best condition, while those in some of the other corners are badly deteriorated. 

Murals of the southeast corner of Sub 1-4. Seen above are four panels from the first and second tiers of the pyramid. In subsequent photos, I will show each of the murals above, which are among the best preserved of the pyramid's images. By analyzing the style of the hieroglyphics, the ceramic fragments, and the scenes themselves, archeologists were able to date Sub 1-4 to between 620-700 AD. This time period was at the height of Calakmul's power.

Layout of the murals. The images were painted on the corner panels of each of the pyramid's three tiers, as well as on the sides of the stairs. Archeologists numbered each image using the system shown. There are spaces for a total of 48 pictures, with 16 on each level and 12 in each of the four corners. By 2012, when the Ramon Carrasco Vargas' report was written, 30 images had been exposed on the first two tiers of the pyramid, with another nine on the third.

The murals of Sub 1-4 were covered over by the subsequent enlargements of the pyramid. Usually, this would have resulted in their destruction. However, the ancient architects seem to have considered the images to be especially important because they took great care to protect them with a layer of mud. They would not be seen again for nearly fourteen hundred years. 

A closer look at the murals

Mural SE-S1 at the lower left of the southeast corner. This is the best-known of all the murals. You may recognize the Woman in Blue and the male drinker from the first two photos. The caption just above the man says "Atole Person", referring to the two women. The four hieroglyphs just behind the Woman in Blue reads "taking off the load". This apparently refers to her removal of the heavy pot from the head of the kneeling woman.

In the murals, the men are bare-chested and wear sarong-type garments around their waists. Usually they wear patterned scarves around their heads. The women are dressed in garments that cover their breasts and extend to mid-calf. Most of the women wear their hair in a kind of ponytail and use red makeup to partially cover their faces. The face of the kneeling woman is entirely red and this may be an attempt to illustrate her exertion. 

Mural SE-S2 shows the "Tamale Person". In this scene, two people are seated cross-legged, facing each other. The woman wears a broad brimmed hat and offers a plate of food to the man, who appears to be eating. In front of the woman is a large basket containing two round glyphs which say "Tamale". The two glyphs above say "Tamale Person", referring to the woman. The pair sit on a platform, under which are three large untranslated glyphs. 

Mural NE-N1 shows another eating scene. This time the man is on the left and faces a woman who offers him a small pot of food. The man wears a plaid head scarf and holds an oval-shaped object in his right hand. His open mouth suggests that he is eating and that the object he holds is food. 

In front of him is a platter containing a large round object with an opening in its top. The object in his hand is the same color as the opening, suggesting that it may have come from there. The glyphs are difficult to translate but may read as either calabaza (pumpkin) or nixtamal (maiz dough). My bet is calabaza, since the reddish color of the object is similar to the interior of a pumpkin.

Mural SE-E2 is captioned "Tobacco Person".  When I first saw this mural, I thought it showed two scribes or artists working on a project. However the archeological analysis (as well as the caption) suggests a very different scene. Tobacco was sometimes used medicinally. When mixed with secretions of the bufo marinus toad, it could also produce hallucinogenic effects. 

The shaman on the right has used a spatula to dip the tobacco- hallucinogen out of the pot he holds in his left hand. He offers it to the man on the left, who is bending over while supporting himself with his hands. He appears to be spitting, or possibly vomiting, since his mouth is open and something is dripping from it. This would suggest the beginning of an hallucinogenic experience.

Detail of Mural SE-E1 shows another scene with atole. There are two figures, but the full mural also contains a woman, out of sight on the right. The person on the left is bare-chested like a man but wears the face paint of a woman and a woman's hat. S/he holds a dipper in the left hand. Liquid pours from the dipper into a wide platter, which is balanced on a large basket. Cradled under the figure's right arm is a large pot, presumably the source of the liquid. 

The man on the right drinks deeply from a blue pot, probably containing the same fluid. He is stylishly attired, with a ring in his left ear and a fancy sarong around his lower body. The caption between the two figures says "Atole Person". An inscription on the rim of the blue pot reads "his atole" indicating that the container belongs to the man on the right. 

Mural EsS-LtE2 shows a porter lugging a large pot. His only attire is a loincloth and high-backed sandals. He carries a stout walking staff in his right hand. A tumpline passes across his forehead and extends back to support his burden. With his left hand, he holds the tumpline in place. This ancient method of carrying large objects can still be found in cultures world-wide, including parts of Mexico. 

The large pot on the porter's back is supported by a woven base. It's not clear what is in the pot. However, many of the murals involve food made from maiz, so the pot may contain dried kernels of the grain or possibly even freshly-made atole. Some sort of creature--possibly a possum--sits on the rim of the pot. Whether the creature is pet or a mythical image is unknown.

So, what are the Ch'iik Naahb murals all about? Several aspects make them unique. 1) Many of the key figures are female, an unusual feature in a Maya mural. 2) The captions describe roles rather than individual names, i.e. Atole Person, Tobacco Person, etc. 3) The interactions seem to be transactional, as in a market, rather than social gatherings of family or friends. 

All of this implies a market, with women as the primary sellers and men the buyers. However, archeologists are still mulling this over. The exact social mechanisms by which goods and services were exchanged in the ancient Maya world are still unclear. It has also been suggested that these scenes illustrate the distribution of tribute collected from Calakmul's many client states.

This completes Part 6 of my Calakmul series and concludes the series itself. I hope you have enjoyed this posting as well as the other five. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly.

Hasta luego, Jim

 

Calakmul Part 5 of 6: The Gran Plaza's astronomical observatory and the stelae of Structure V

Statue of a Maya shaman. This Late Classical figure was found in a burial at Jaina Island on Yucatan's Caribbean coast. Shamans were priests who had a very high status and performed a variety of functions. One of these was to act as astronomers. In that capacity, they used carefully designed observatories to track the movement of celestial bodies. Over time, the priests became aware of astronomical cycles including equinoxes and the solstices.  

This resulted in their invention of two calendars. A 365-day secular calendar interlocked with their 260-day religious calendar to form a 52 year cycle called the Calendar Round. The purpose was to predict planting and harvesting times, as well as to set the festival dates for their multitude of gods. In the process, shamans invented a mathematical system that included the concept of zero. This  development pre-dated the Persian invention of zero by many centuries. 

In this posting, we'll look at Structures IV, V, and VI. Structures IV and VI occupy the east and west sides of the Gran Plaza. Together, they form a complex astronomical observatory. Structure V divides the north and south part of the Gran Plaza and is adorned with ten different stelae. Their texts include fascinating hints about historical events and personalities. 

Structures IV and VI were used by star-gazing shamans. Standing at the entrance of the temple atop Structure VI (above, left), solstices and equinoxes could be viewed. On those days, ancient astronomers would sight through the fork of a stick to observe the sun as it topped one of the three temples (a, b, or c) on the Structure IV platform across the plaza. All three were carefully aligned to allow these crucial celestial events to be tracked.

It was maiz that made these events so important. Because maiz was economically fundamental to Maya society, it had attained a mystical status. The Maya creation myths and their views on the cosmos were closely intertwined with crop cycles. The ability to correctly predict planting or harvesting times gave the rulers for whom the shamans worked immense power. In the end, crop failures were among the fundamental causes of the Classic Maya civilization's collapse.

(Sketch from Calakmul: New Data from Ancient Maya Capital)

Structure VI

Structure VI was constructed in the Pre-Classic period. It stands on the west side of the Gran Plaza. It has three levels with a broad staircase on its eastern side. Stela 22 stands at the bottom of the staircase. At the top is an esplanade containing the remains of a one-story temple. From its central doorway, celestial observations could be made. Together, Structures VI and IV form an "E Group", named after a similar observatory at Uaxactun, another Pre-Classic site. 

Stelae 23 and 24, the white monuments on the esplanade level, once framed the temple's door. The two stelae were added in 702 AD and carry the images of a royal couple. The date coincides with the beginning of the reign of Yuknoom Took K'awiil, so the stelae may very well be dedicated to him and his queen. However, except for the date, the text is too weathered to decipher. (Photo from Latin American Studies) 

Structure IV

Structure IVb is the central temple on the Structure IV platform. It stands directly across the Gran Plaza from Structure VI and is flanked on the left by IVa and on the right by IVc. Structure IVb went through five construction phases. The earliest was during the Late Pre-Classic while the rest were constructed during the Classic era between 250-900 AD.

The tomb Tuun K'ab' Hix (520-546 AD), looted in ancient times, was discovered within IVb. Eight female skeletons were also found. Two of these had been decapitated, apparently to endow the building with a soul. A total of fourteen stelae have been discovered around Structure IVb. Some of these contain references to events that occurred between late 809 and mid-810 AD. In 809 Calakmul began a century of decline, leading to its abandonment in the tenth century. 

The ruins of Structure IVa, with Stela 8 in front. This temple is the least restored building around the Gran Plaza. When the temple was intact, astronomers standing on Structure VI could sight over IVa's top to determine if the the summer solstice had dawned. That date is important agriculturally because it marks the peak of the rainy season in Yucatan. 

In 721 AD, Yuknoom Took K'awiil erected Stela 8, the largest of the temple's three stelae. Its text refers to an event in 593 AD, involving a ruler named Uneh Chan (Scroll Serpent), who ruled the city of Dzibanche until his death in 611. Uneh Chan was the father of Yuknoom Ch'een II ("Yuknoom the Great") who, in 635, moved the seat of the Kaan Dynasty from Dzibanche to Calakmul. He then ascended the throne as kaloomte' (overlord) in 636. By erecting Stela 8, Yuknoom Took K'awiil appears to have been honoring his great grandfather, Uneh Chan. 

Structure IVc is on the south end of Structure IV's platform. The top of Structure IVc's two-room temple marks the position of the sun as it rises on the winter solstice. That is the shortest day of the year and traditionally ends the Maya secular calendar year. The temple rooms are parallel and aligned north-to-south. They are connected by central doorways that face west.

The temple has three stelae. One of them is mounted in the center of the second step of the broad, west-facing staircase. The other two stand to its left and right at the plaza level and are accompanied by altars in the form of stone disks. IVa and IVc are structurally quite similar, except that IVc is somewhat larger.

Structure V and its stelae

South-facing side of Structure V, showing Stela 28. At the end of the Early Classic period, Structure V was converted from a simple temple to the most important stela shrine at Calakmul. In total, ten of these monuments were erected around the building. In the photo,      Stela 29 stands out of sight to the right of Stela 28. The north side of Structure V has a staircase that leads up to a broad esplanade containing Stelae 30 and 31, as well as a two-room temple. 

Stelae 32-37 are located at the Plaza level along the north side. The texts are largely illegible, but carry dates ranging from 657 to 672. This range is significant because Calakmul fought two wars with Tikal during this period. The first was fought in 657, when Calakmul was still ruled by the aging Yuknoom Ch'een II. It was probably his son and heir, Yuknoom Yichak K'ahk' (Claw of Fire), who won that war, as well as a second conflict that began in 672. 

The image on Stela 28 is the wife of the ruler on Stela 29. The female figure's body stands erect, with her head looking to the left toward her mate. She wears an elaborate costume, including a large head dress. Significantly, she stands upon a captive, a sign of domination and military power. Calakmul is unique for its male and female "paired stelae". Female members of the ruling elite seem to have possessed a political status absent in most other Classic Maya cities.

The image of the ruler appears on Stela 29. This monument stands several yards to the right of Stela 28. The image on Stela 29 is more weathered than 28, but the left-profile of a man can still be seen. He looks toward his female partner and, like her, stands upon a captive. They are the ancient Maya world's equivalent to a modern "power couple."

Both stelae carry the date 623 AD. This places them at the beginning of the reign of Tajo'm Uk'ab 'K'ak', of the Kaan Dynasty, who ruled Dzibanche from 622 to 630. Given this coincidence of dates, it likely that the figures are Tajo'm Uk'ab 'K'ak' and his wife. Like Stela 8, these stelae may have been built after the dynastic migration from Dzibanche to Calakmul, in order to show reverence for ancestral figures from the Kaan's place of origin.

The inscriptions on the side of Stela 29 are largely unreadable. Tajo'm Uk'ab 'K'ak' died in 630 AD, and the very next year the name of a Kaan ajaw (lord) from Dzibanche is first mentioned in connection with Calakmul. The inscription was found in a distant city and the man's name was Yuknoom Head, another son of Uneh Chan. This would make him the brother, or perhaps half-brother, of Tajo'm Uk'ab 'K'ak'. 

The inscription mentioning Yuknoom Head speaks of his victory in a fratricidal conflict within Dzibanche's dynasty, following the death of Tajo'm Uk'ab 'K'ak'. In the same year, members of Kaan Dynasty began to move from Dzibanche to Calakmul. By 635, the Kaan political takeover was complete and Calakmul was proclaimed as the dynasty's new seat. Then, in 636, a ruler named Yuknoom Ch'een II ascended the throne of Calakmul. 

He became the overlord not only of Calakmul, but of the broadest constellation of city-states ever assembled in the ancient Maya world. Yuknoom Head and Yuknoom Ch'een II may well have been the same person. A new ruler sometimes adopted the name of an illustrious ancestor and Yuknoom Ch'een I had been a famous 5th century ruler of Dzibanche. It is likely that Yuknoom Head re-named himself Yuknoom Ch'een II at his coronation.

This completes Part 5 of my Calakmul series. I hope you have enjoyed it and, if so, you will please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. 

Hasta luego, Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calakmul Part 4 of 6: Structures VII and VIII and the north end of the Gran Plaza.

Structure VII stands at the north end of the Gran Plaza. This south-facing pyramid looks down the length of the Plaza toward Structure II, the much larger pyramid at the other end. At the bottom of Structure VII's staircase are five plain stelae. A single staircase leads up to three structures on the top level. This arrangement is called triadic and is an architectural feature dating back to Pre-Classical times. The triad may be symbolic of the three stones in the traditional Maya hearth. 

In previous postings of this series, we looked at the great pyramid called Structure II that forms the south end of the Gran Plaza. This time, we'll focus on the structures on the north end, and take a look at an important tomb and one of their monuments called Stela 1. Like Structure II, the ways in which these buildings were used changed over time to include political and residential functions, in addition to the original religious purposes. (Photo by Oleg Chernyshov, Flikr)

The Gran Plaza is central to the rest of Calakmul. Structure VII is at the top (north) end of the Plaza. Moving clock-wise, Structure VIII is the small temple to its right. The east side of the Plaza is defined by a long rectangular platform topped by three temples called Structure IV. 

Separating Structure II (at the bottom) from the rest of the Plaza is Structure V, which is surrounded by ten stelae. On the west side of the Plaza stands Structure VI which, together with the three temples of Structure IV, formed an astronomical observatory. Structures IV, V, and VI will be the subject of the next part of this series.

This Plaza's structures are Calakmul's oldest section. Most of them date back as early as the Pre-Classic era (400 BC - 250 AD). All were in continuous use until the city was abandoned after 909 AD during the Terminal Classic. Several structures contain tombs and all are accompanied by one or more stelae. Part 1 of this series contains a map to locate Calakmul in Yucatan and a map of the whole site.

The top of Structure VII peeks through the jungle canopy. From the Plaza level to the top is 24m (79ft). The pyramid used to be even taller, because in ancient times the temple on top was capped with a tall roof comb. This was a rectangular lattice framework with stucco decorations, a very popular Classic Maya architectural feature. However, even with its roof comb, this pyramid would have been dwarfed by Structure II, which tops out a 55m (180ft).

Structure VII underwent several construction phases from the Pre-Classic through the Terminal Classic eras. In the first period, its function was purely religious and ceremonial. Later, in the Classic era, a political function was added when rulers and other elites chose the temple as the site for tombs. Finally, toward the end of the Terminal Classic, the temple was remodeled to become an elite residence. This pattern of use is similar to that of Structure II.

Schematic of Structure VII, including the layout of the temple.

The top drawing shows the nine levels of the pyramid, which may be a reference to the nine levels of Xibalba (the underworld). The triadic layout on top is formed by the temple and two smaller structures, which flank the top of the stairs.  

In the bottom drawing, three parallel east-to-west rooms are connected by a north-south hallway. In the left wing of the first room, a patolli board was etched into the floor by Terminal Classic era residents. (See the small window-like symbol). In patolli, pieces moved around the board according to the throw of five beans, marked on one side and plain on the other. Players gambled for food, clothing, jewelry, and even their freedom.

During a 1989-90 archeological dig, Tomb 1 was discovered under the floor of the north-south hallway. The burial has been variously dated to 730, 750, and 780 AD. This disparity makes it difficult to identify the tomb's occupant, because those dates span the reigns of four different rulers of two different dynasties. However, the individual (whoever he was) must have been important because the grave goods are extremely rich.

The aptly-named "Mask of Calakmul"was found in Tomb 1. This is the most elaborate, beautifully-crafted mask so far discovered at Calakmul. It is a mosaic of jade, with large jade ear spools framing the face. The pupils of the eyes are made from obsidian and the whites from conch shell. The curving objects in the corners of the lips are canine fangs. Every part of the mask carries deep meaning. 

The curving canine fangs represent serpents, which can transition among the celestial, terrestrial and underworlds. The ear spools are in the shape of four-petal flowers, a symbol of the four sacred directions (east, west, north, south). The flower also represents the breath of life and fertility. Under the chin, the extended wings of a butterfly symbolize Venus. Because that star is both the Evening and Morning Star, it represents death and rebirth. The butterfly's transformations also symbolize the cycle of life and the enduring soul of a dead ruler.

The arch at the top of the head dress represents the Witz, or Sacred Mountain. The opening under the arch represents the cave within the Witz which acts as a portal to the underworld. Crossed maiz ears can be seen in the opening of the mask's cave. In Maya mythology, primordial grains of maiz (corn) were deposited in the Witz' cave and humans were created from them. 

Jade jewelry found in Tomb 1. The individual in the crypt wore a heavy, multi-strand necklace around his neck, as well as a large pendant called a scapula. He also wore bracelets on both wrists, a large ring on his right hand, and jewelry on his knees, all of jade. More jade, in the form of beads, was woven into his clothing. 

Since jade had to be imported from as far away as the Motagua Valley in southern Guatemala, it was quite valuable and was usually worn only by high status individuals. The quantity and quality of the jade in this burial, including the mask, indicates a top-level figure, most likely a ruler.

Ceramics were placed around the body during the burial ritual.  They include plates, bowls, vases and cups of various sizes. Some of the ceramics found under the body had been ritually "killed" by breaking them.  Traces of burned soil, scattered seeds, and a reddish iron ore called hematite were found in the intact potttery. When crushed into a powder, hematite was used to decorate a body for burial. In addition, stingray spines were found, indicating auto-sacrifice, i.e. drawing blood by piercing one's own lips or genitals. 

Yuknoom Took K'awiil, as he appears on Stela 51. As noted earlier, the identity of Tomb 1's occupant and his burial date are both uncertain. However, based on a number of clues, I will make an educated guess. I believe that the body may be that of Yuknoom Took K'awiil, who died approximately 736 AD. He was the last of Calakmul's great Kaan Dynasty rulers. The man in the tomb is 25-35 years old, which fits Yuknoom Took K'awiil's lifespan.

Several dates for the tomb have been suggested, but the most likely is 750 AD, approximately fourteen years after Yuknoom Took K'awiil's death at the hands of Calakmul's great rival, Tikal. Why the lengthy delay in burial? Perhaps it took that long for his successors to negotiate the recovery of his remains from a still-hostile Tikal. In 750, Calakmul's ruler was Great Serpent, of the newly re-established Bat Dynasty. It would have been in his interest to link his dynasty with the glory of the Kaan rulers by celebrating the recovery of an illustrious predecessor's body and staging a great burial ceremony. 

This was definitely a secondary burial, meaning the original burial was elsewhere. The bones had cut marks, indicating de-fleshing, after which they were wrapped in cloth, rolled up in a mat, exposed to fire, and then interred as a bundle. The tomb's location in the Gran Plaza, and the extraordinary richness of the grave goods both point to a royal burial. The secondary burial, the age of the individual, and the overall timing, further suggest that the occupant of Tomb 1 was Yuknoom Took K'awiil. (Photo of Stela 51 from Wikipedia)

Structure VIII and Stela 1

Stela 1 stands in front of Structure VIII. The round disk in front of the stela is an altar. Most of the text on the stela is illegible due to weathering. However, three pieces of information remain: Ux te' tuum (Calakmul's ancient name), the title kaloomte' (overlord), and 721 AD, the stela's erection date. This actually tells us quite a lot. 

The kaloomte' of Calakmul in 721 was Yuknoom Took K'awiil. The stela was erected in the middle of his reign. This was at the height of his power as overlord of Calakmul's great empire and he would rule for another fifteen years before his death at the hands of Tikal. Although the reason for the stela's erection cannot be deciphered, 721 was the year his daughter married the ruler of La Corona, sealing an important political alliance.

Schematic showing the floor plan of Structure VIII. The black rectangle and circle at the bottom represent Stela 1 and its altar which were built sometime after Structure VIII. The small, two-level temple is accessed by one short staircase. The structure's overall alignment is on a north-south axis, while its three parallel interior passageways are set on an east-west axis. The doorways of the temple open toward the east, the direction of sunrise.

Structure VIII is oriented eight degrees east of magnetic north. This fact, along with its east-facing doors, suggests that Structure VIII functioned as an astronomical observation point related to sunrise and other celestial events of the morning sky. The building was later modified to more closely align it with the movement of the stars.

This completes Part 4 of my Calakmul series. I hope you liked it and, if so, you will please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

Hasta luego, Jim