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EARLY CLASSIC MAYA
A. Protoclassic
1. prelude to florescence of Classic Maya culture
2. first appearance of polychrome vessels and barkbeaters
3. Holmul
a) located in the eastern portion of the southern lowlands
b) excavated by Raymond Merwin in early part of 20th century
c) yielded excellent collection of Protoclassic polychrome
vessels
4. Barton Ramie
a) appearance of Usulutan ceramics and mammiform tetrapod
vessels
b) twice as many house platforms occupied during Porotclassic
as in the preceding period
c) suggested that origin for population influx was western El
Salvador
1) Usulutan pottery found in greatest quantities in El Salvador
2) migration may have been linked to devastation of Ilopango
volcano ca. AD 200-250
5. protoclassic represents fusion of southern Highland and
Lowland traits
B. Early Classic I
1. Early Maya subsistence
a) Pulltrouser Swamp
1) evidence for raised fields and canals
2. Early Classic
a) Settlement patterns
1) lowlands
a> concentration of populations in central Peten
1> Tikal becomes a major center in Preclassic and stays this
way
2> Uaxactun, also big in the Preclassic, becomes secondary
center to Tikal
b> increase in site center nucleation
c> appearance of formal plaza froups
d> suggestion of increased stratification of society
1> continuation of Preclassic trends
2) in highlands, Teotihuacan-style construction appears at
Esperanza Phase Kaminaljuyu
a> talud-tablero architecture
b) Political events
1) continued rise of Tikal
2) conquest and control of Uaxactun
3) connections with Teotihuacan
4) rivalry between Tikal and Calakmul
c) Inscriptions and iconography
1) Chronology
a> Mathews placed beginning of Early Classic in AD 238
1> corresponds to 8.10.0.0.0
a: suggested as beginning date of Tikal dynasty
2> has been revised to 8.9.0.0.0
a: reign of Yax-Moch-Xoc and founding of Tikal dynasty
b: earliest date is Stela 29 at AD 292 (8.12.14.8.15)
b> Tikal and Uaxactun are principal erectors of monuments prior
to AD 435 (9.0.0.0.0)
1> 50 from the site of Tikal
c> Altar de Sacrificios, Copan, Quirigua, Caracol, Calakmul,
Yaxchilan, Piedras Negras, and Naachtun erect monuments
between AD 435 and AD 534 (9.0.0.0.0 - 9.5.0.0.0)
d> end of Early Classic period defined by Proskouriakoff at AD
593
1> corresponds to 9.8.0.0.0
2> Mathews suggests AD 583 (9.7.10.0.0) for end of "hiatus"
3> "hiatus" dated to between AD 534 (9.5.0.0.0) and AD 583
(9.7.10.0.0)
a: traditionally marks the boundary between Early and Late
Classic periods
1: marked by short cessation of ritual activity
2: probably caused by conquest of Tikal by Caracol
b: Willey suggests it may have been caused by a withdrawal of
Teotihuacan contact
c: occurs after initial spurt of activity at other major
centers
d: monumental activity resumes at unprecedented scale after the
hiatus
2) Monuments
a> custom of numbering reigns of rulers
b> 260 known Early Classic monuments
1> 17 additional ones are Preclassic in style
2> include stelae, altars, lintels, and other dated objects
3> 7 Preclassic and 37 Early Classic monuments have no
inscriptions
4> Loltun Cave inscription style is 8.14.0.0.0
c> during Cycle 8 (AD 283-434), most cluster in central Peten
(near Tikal)
1> some tied to Tikal by presence of emblem glyphs
a: have no emblem glyph of their own
2> El Peru, Yaxha, and Bejucal were independent
d> sites are more widespread during first quarter of Cycle 9
(AD 435-AD 534)
e> only a few with "hiatus" period (AD 534-583) monuments
3) Art and iconography
a> characteristics
1> pose of legs in profile, apart at the level of the knees
2> "sky bars" under human figure
3> downward-looking heads above human figure
4> anthropomorphic heads in the crook of the arm
5> variety in royal portraiture
a: Late Classic portraits more standardized
b: more variety in kinds of scenes in Late Classic
b> almost all innovations in Maya art appear during the Early
Classic
c> Leiden Plaque
1> carved of jade, comes from royal belt-head assemblage
2> inscription on rear records accession of king named
Balam-Ahau-Chaan on Sept.17, AD 320
3> portrayal on front
a: holds double-headed serpent bar
1: symbol derived from serpent frames
2: arms against chest show that he is holding object
b: wears collar with carved human head
c: wears sandals
d: flanged headdress
1: cap lined with jade cylinders and beads
2: jade flares supported by headress
3: main head is jaguar
A. head in the mouth of Jaguar Sun
e: Jester God on top of headdress
f: captive lying at feet
1: marked as noble with ahau glyph on head
g: represents accession and sacrifice
4> Stages in accession
a: designated heir was given elements of royal costume
1: most important items were cloth headband with Jester God
mounted at front and flanged headdress
A. Stela 31 show ruler holding headdress aloft
b: king displayed himself to the people attending the rite in
full costume
1: may have dressed with court in attendance, then walked out
to edge of pyramid to show larger audience
c: wife or mother of king brought forth bloodletting
instruments, and both drew blood
1: woman from her tongue
2: man from his penis
d: captives taken (either before or after accession)
e: captive bound and sacrificed by having his heart removed
f: king was mounted on scaffold and ritual cycle was completed
4) Emblem glyphs
a> originally identified by Heinrich Berlin in 1958
1> Marcus looks at them as references to cities
2> Mathews sees them in name phrases of rulers
a: may function as royal titles
b: "Lord of ...."
b> composed of principal sign and affixes
1> "ben-ich" prefix translated as "lord" or "lord of the mat"
2> "water-group" prefix translated as "in the line of descent"
c> 19 sites with emblem glyphs in Early Classic
1> Tikal, Bejucal, and El Peru are only Cycle 8 ones
d> Marcus sees hierarchy of sites based on emblem glyphs
1> regional center - first in region to have glyph
2> secondary center - own glyph, but rarely mentioned in
regional capital
3> tertiary center - no emblem glyph, but texts mention larger
centers
4> quaternary center - no glyph or mention of capital
d) Tikal
1) dominant center in Early Classic
a> Tikal influence on Yaxchilan seen by AD 475 (9.2.0.0.0)
1> appearance of Tikal emblem glyph on Lintel 37 (dated to AD
504)
b> probable influence on Quirigua and Copan
c> controlled much of central lowland trade
1> may have been central redistribution point for lowland goods
and luxury goods from highlands
a: was principal trading partner with Teotihuacan
2> was centrally located
a: easy access to river systems to east and west
b: rivers provided primary avenue of canoe-borne goods from
Caribbean to Gulf of Mexico
c: strategic military position
1: Becan, north of Tikal, constructed defensive walls in Early
Classic
3> large swamps (may have been lakes at one time) may have been
highly productive agriculturally
d> became primary shrine for pilgrimages
e> described as the "Rome of the lowland Maya"
2) Preclassic and Early Classic construction
a> "Lost World" complex
1> excavated by Juan Pedro LaPorte
2> large pyramid in style of Teotihuacan temples
3> ballcourt marker
4> residences with masks
b> North Acropolis
1> 5D-26 (Burial 22)
a: dated to Early Classic
b: may have been tomb of Jaguar Paw
2> richly furnished tombs found
3) early dynastic sequence
a> earliest date is on Stela 29
1> dates to AD 292 (8.12.14.8.15)
2> sculptured portrait of Tikal ruler holding two-headed
serpent bar
b> Jaguar Paw mentioned in texts
1> may have preceded individual on Leyden Plaque
2> associated with date of 8.14.0.0.0
c> early ruler appears on Leyden Plaque at AD 320 (8.14.3.1.12)
1> found near delta of Motagua River in nineteenth century
d> Curl Nose
1> Stela 4
a: records accession of Curl Nose
1: dated to AD 378 (8.17.12.16.7)
2: apppears seated and facing front
A. shell necklace and large ear flares
3: Chac, long-lipped protector deity over his head
2> Stela 18
a: first katun-completion stela
1: dates to AD 396 (8.18.0.0.0)
2: during reign of Curl Nose
3> Burial 10
a: identified by Coggins as tomb of Curl Nose
b: carved into hollowed out bedrock beneath 5D-34
c: accompanied by remains of nine other individuals, headless
crocodile, turtles, and birds
d: offerings similar to those from Teotihuacan-period tombs at
Kaminaljuyu
1: ceramic effigy of "old god"
2: beautifully-painted Teotihuacan-style vessels
e: Coggins proposes that Curl Nose was from Kaminaljuyu
1: may have married woman of Tikal Jaguar Paw lineage
e> Stela 31
1> Stormy Sky
a: Stela 31
1: first known monument of Stormy Sky
A. son of Curl Nose and founder of new line of rulers
1. Curl Nose shown above head as celestial ancestor
B. celebration of end of Stormy Sky's first katun in power
1. acceded to power on 8.19.0.0.0 (AD 426)
C. monument dedicated in AD 435 (9.0.10.0.0)
2: discovered in temple built over his tomb
A. burned and shattered prior to burial
B. buried within room filled solidly with rubble in Str.33-2nd
3: flanked on sides of monument by figures in Teotihuacan
military regalia
A. may have been buried in Burial 48 under 5D-33
1. walls painted with glyphs
2. date corresponding to AD 457
3. fine slab-footed tripod vessels from tomb
b: appears to have brought market orientation of Teotihuacan to
Tikal
4) relations with Teotihuacan
a> Kaminaljuyu
1> Architecture
2> Ceramics
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