Yuknoom Ch'een I

Last updated March 01, 2019

Yuknoom Ch’een I^{[ pronunciation? ]} was the first known Maya king of the Kaan Kingdom.^[1] He was maybe a father of King Tuun K'ab' Hix.

The Maya civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization developed by the Maya peoples, and noted for its logosyllabic script—the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in pre-Columbian Americas—as well as for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system. The Maya civilization developed in an area that encompasses southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador. This region consists of the northern lowlands encompassing the Yucatán Peninsula, and the highlands of the Sierra Madre, running from the Mexican state of Chiapas, across southern Guatemala and onwards into El Salvador, and the southern lowlands of the Pacific littoral plain.

Ajaw or Ahau ('Lord') is a pre-Columbian Maya political title attested from epigraphic inscriptions. It is also the name of the 20th day of the tzolk'in, the Maya divinatory calendar, on which a king's k'atun-ending rituals would fall.

Identity

Although nineteen Kaan kings are listed on the Dynastic Vases, some with the names of known historical rulers, clear discrepancies in their accession dates make it uncertain whether the nineteen names are to be considered historical or legendary. Thus Yuknoom Ch’een can be said to be the first known, clearly historical ruler of Kaan.^[2]

Maya kings were the centers of power for the Maya civilization. Each Maya city-state was controlled by a dynasty of kings.Also the position of king was usually inherited by the oldest son.

A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a feudal or monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in elective republics. Alternative terms for "dynasty" may include "house", "family" and "clan", among others. The longest-surviving dynasty in the world is the Imperial House of Japan, otherwise known as the Yamato dynasty, whose reign is traditionally dated to 660 BC.

A vase is an open container. It can be made from a number of materials, such as ceramics, glass, non-rusting metals, such as aluminium, brass, bronze or stainless steel. Even wood has been used to make vases, either by using tree species that naturally resist rot, such as teak, or by applying a protective coating to conventional wood. Vases are often decorated, and they are often used to hold cut flowers. Vases come in different sizes to support whatever flower its holding or keeping in place.

That kingdom’s location in Yuknoom Ch'een’s time — roughly the years around AD 500 — is not certain; although Calakmul is known to have been the capital in the Late Classic, there is a reason to doubt that this was the case earlier. Dzibanche emerges as a strong possibility for the previous center because Yuknoom Ch’een is repeatedly named there on a sculptured "captive stairway". Although this monument’s interpretation hinges on a single problematic glyph, it is likely that Yuknoom Ch’een was a ruler of Dzibanche and the captives were his trophies.^[3]^[4]

Calakmul is a Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Campeche, deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region. It is 35 kilometres (22 mi) from the Guatemalan border. Calakmul was one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities ever uncovered in the Maya lowlands.

A capital city is the municipality exercising primary status in a country, state, province, or other administrative region, usually as its seat of government. A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the government's offices and meeting places; the status as capital is often designated by its law or constitution. In some jurisdictions, including several countries, the different branches of government are located in different settlements. In some cases, a distinction is made between the official (constitutional) capital and the seat of government, which is in another place.

Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of prehispanic Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian, the Archaic, the Preclassic or Formative, the Classic (250–900CE), and the Postclassic, Colonial (1521–1821), and Postcolonial (1821–present). The periodization of Mesoamerica is based on archaeological, ethnohistorical, and modern cultural anthropology research. The endeavor to create cultural histories of Mesoamerica dates to the early twentieth century, with ongoing work by archeologists, ethnohistorians, historians, and cultural anthropologists.

Related Research Articles

Janahb Pakal also known as Janaab Pakal, Pakal I or Pakal the Elder,, was a nobleman and possible ajaw of the Maya city-state of Palenque.

Jasaw Chan K'awiil I also known as Ruler A, Ah Cacao and Sky Rain,, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on May 3, 682 and reigned until his death.

La Corona is the name given by archaeologists to an ancient Maya court residence in Guatemala's Petén department that was discovered in 1996, and later identified as the long-sought "Site Q", the source of a long series of unprovenanced limestone reliefs of exceptional artistic quality. The site's Classical name appears to have been Sak-Nikte' ('White-Flower').

Chak Tok Ich'aak I also known as Great Paw, Great Jaguar Paw, and Toh Chak Ich'ak was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on August 7, 360? and reigned until his death in 378, apparently at the hands of invaders from central Mexico.

Yax Nuun Ahiin II also known as Ruler C and Chitam,, was an ajaw of the Maya city of Tikal. He took the throne on December 25, 768 and reigning probably until his death. He was son of Yik'in Chan K'awiil and brother of 28th Ruler. The monuments associated with Yax Nuun Ahiin II are: Stelae 19, 21 and Altars 6 and 10.

Yo'nal Ahk III, also known as Ruler 5, was an ajaw of Piedras Negras, an ancient Maya settlement in Guatemala. He ruled during the Late Classic Period, from 758 to 767 AD. Yo'nal Ahk III ascended to the throne upon the death of Itzam K'an Ahk II, who may have been Yo'nal Ahk's father. He was succeeded by his probable brother, Ha' K'in Xook in around 767 AD. Yo'nal Ahk III left behind two surviving stelae at Piedras Negras, namely Stelae 14 and 16, the former of which has been called one of the finest niche stelae, according to Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube.

K'an II was a Maya ruler of Caracol. He reigned AD 618–658.

Tuun Kʻabʻ Hix was a Maya king of the Kaan Kingdom.

Ix Ekʻ Naah, also known as the Snake Lady of Palenque, was a Maya queen of the Kaan kingdom in Campeche. She was a daughter of Lady Bʻakabʻ, wife of the King Tuun K'ab' Hix and had a daughter who married one lord, Prince of La Corona.

Yax Yopaat was a Maya king of the Kaan kingdom (Calakmul) who ruled AD 572-579.

Scroll Serpent was a Maya ruler of the Kaan kingdom. He ruled from AD 579 to 611. He acceded on September 2.

Yuknoom Ti' Chan was a king of Maya Kaan kingdom. He ruled >619>.

Tajoom Ukʻab Kʻahk' was a Maya ruler of the Kaan kingdom. He became a king on March 28, 622.

Yuknoom Head was a king of the Maya Kaan Kingdom. He ruled AD 630-636.

Yuknoom Ch'een II', known as Yuknoom the Great, was a Mayan ruler of the Kaan kingdom, which had its capital at Calakmul during the Classic Period of Mesoamerican chronology.

Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' ) or Yuknoom Ixquiac was a Maya king of the Kaan kingdom, which had its capital at Calakmul during the Classic Period of Mesoamerican chronology.

Yuknoom Took' Kʻawiil was a Maya ruler of the Kaan kingdom (Calakmul).

Dzibanche is an archaeological site of the ancient Maya civilization located in southern Quintana Roo, in the Yucatan Peninsula of southeastern Mexico. Dzibanche was a major Maya city and investigations in the first decade of the 21st century indicate that it was the early capital of the Kan dynasty, which later ruled from the great city of Calakmul. Dzibanche features the earliest known use of the Kaan dynasty emblem glyph.

Moral-Reforma is a Maya archaeological site in Mexico, about 70 miles (113 km) northeast of Palenque.

References

↑ The Ancient Maya, 6th Edition by Robert Sharer, Loa Traxler. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Univ. Press, 2006.
↑ Martin and Nikolai Grube 2008:103
↑ Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube 2000:103, 2008:103
↑ Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens by Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] The Ancient Maya, 6th Edition by Robert Sharer, Loa Traxler. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Univ. Press, 2006.

[2] Martin and Nikolai Grube 2008:103

[3] Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube 2000:103, 2008:103

[4] Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens by Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube