TryGOLD- Free

A Dynasty Born In Fire- How an upstart Maya king forged a new social order amid chaos

Archaeology|July/August 2024
At the beginning of the Terminal Classic period (ca. A.D. 810-1000), many of the great kingdoms of the southern Maya lowlands-among them Tikal, Palenque, and Calakmul-were being abandoned or collapsing. For many years, scholars have assumed that most, if not all, the other kingdoms across the Maya world must have also been in steep decline.
- By Jarrett A. Lobell
A Dynasty Born In Fire- How an upstart Maya king forged a new social order amid chaos

A singular event took place at the beginning of the ninth century A.D. that must have stunned the residents of the Maya city of Ucanal, capital of the K'anwitznal Kingdom, in northern Guatemala's Petén region. Their new ruler, Papmalil, presided over a sensational public ceremony during which the bones of four of his predecessors, which had been removed from their tombs inside one of the city's pyramids, were placed on a pyre. As Ucanal's citizens looked on, the flames reached nearly 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, scorching and warping bone and shattering some of the precious objects that had also been taken from the tombs. The roar of the flames must have been thunderous, especially when punctuated by the sharp pops of exploding stone. Families that had been loyal to Ucanal's earlier dynasties were doubtless concerned for their future. Those who supported Papmalil likely rejoiced. Perhaps a musician accompanied the ceremony by playing the flute.

Pieces of greenstone and obsidian from a Maya funeral mask were discovered in a deposit of material that was removed from royal tomb in antiquity

While the precise details of how the ceremony unfolded are unknown-the event is not described in any text or recorded on any monument-the recent discovery of the burned bones and broken objects has provided evidence of what archaeologist Christina Halperin of the University of Montreal identifies as a tipping point in the K'anwitznal Kingdom's history. "This event marked the symbolic and literal destruction of an earlier K'anwitznal dynastic line," Halperin says. "It's so rare in the archaeological record to see a moment of fissure like this, where people immediately understand that they're doing away with a previous historical moment and entering into a changed political system."

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ARCHAEOLOGYView all
HERO WORSHIP
Archaeology

HERO WORSHIP

A bronze knife handle discovered in the 1990s in the northern English town of Corbridge depicting a left-handed gladiator has offered insight into fandom in the ancient Roman world.

time-read
1 min  |
May/June 2025
PHARAOH'S FATE
Archaeology

PHARAOH'S FATE

Extensive remnants of one of the temples commissioned by the female pharaoh Hatshepsut (reigned ca. 1473-1458 B.c.) have been discovered in the town of Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile.

time-read
1 min  |
May/June 2025
THE CAT AND THE FAT
Archaeology

THE CAT AND THE FAT

During the 19th Dynasty (ca. 1295–1186 B.c.), the village of Deir el-Medina, on the Nile’s west bank in Upper, or southern, Egypt, was home to a community of civil servants and artisans who built and decorated the royal tombs in the nearby Valley of the Kings.

time-read
2 mins  |
May/June 2025
GODDESS AT THE CROSSROADS
Archaeology

GODDESS AT THE CROSSROADS

Why a city put its trust in a Greek deity feared throughout the mediterranean

time-read
10+ mins  |
May/June 2025
Peru's Timeless Threads
Archaeology

Peru's Timeless Threads

More than 1,000 years ago, master weavers kept the ancient traditions of the Moche culture alive

time-read
6 mins  |
May/June 2025
Lost City of the Samurai
Archaeology

Lost City of the Samurai

Archaeologists rediscover Ichijodani, a formidable stronghold that flourished amid medieval Japan's brutal power struggles

time-read
10+ mins  |
May/June 2025
THE MANY FORTRESSES OF ALI PASHA
Archaeology

THE MANY FORTRESSES OF ALI PASHA

How a father and son are documenting the architectural legacy of a renegade nineteenth-century warlord

time-read
10+ mins  |
May/June 2025
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE of AMERICA
Archaeology

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE of AMERICA

The cultural heritage of world communities and their ancestral landscapes, historic monuments, museums, and physical artifacts are increasingly vulnerable as a result of global climate change.

time-read
1 min  |
May/June 2025
BYZANTINE BOOMTOWN
Archaeology

BYZANTINE BOOMTOWN

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority have unearthed parts of a Roman and Byzantine settlement just outside the modern city of Kiryat Gat.

time-read
1 min  |
May/June 2025
Desert Paradise Found
Archaeology

Desert Paradise Found

How a tiny, water-rich kingdom came to dominate vital trade routes in the Arabian Gulf 4,000 years ago

time-read
10+ mins  |
May/June 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more