242
and provided photographs, drawings, and a detailed description of its Stela 3.
Palacios (1928: 139) supposed the glyph in question denoted the equinoxes or solstices, but his reading of the text was not correct. It should be observed that the text
displayed on the upper part of the stela is almost unreadable because of damage.
Two years later, Frans Blom visited the site and was able to correctly date the text
(Palacios, 1928: 115). Subsequently, Teeple (1931: 115, Fig. 19) reproduced the
glyph, which he identified with a total solar eclipse of 16 July, 790 (see Fig. 1b). The
value of a possible eclipse record as a means of providing an absolute chronology to
the Maya Long Count was also quickly acknowledged and Teeple (1931: 115) used
this information to support the G-M-T correlation.
8
Later, Thompson (1935: 74),
who, at that time, proposed his own correlation constant with JD 584,285, used the
date of the solar eclipse to discredit the correlation proposed by Martínez
(JD = 584,281), though he noticed that the date of the solar eclipse was correct only
if the correlation 584,286 (JD 584,286 = 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u) was used.
The lack of agreement on the correct calendar correlation has recently motivated
Martin and Skidmore (2012), who revived the validity of a 584,286 correlation.
Such oversimplified statements must be used with care.
Despite the remoteness of the site, Mathews (2006) visited the place, providing
up-to-date information on the Stela 3 hieroglyphic text. Stela 3 was commissioned
by Yax B’alam, a local ruler who was in power from 782 to 790 (?) and recorded a
series of events in his life culminating in a monument dedication at the periodending date 9.18.0.0.0 11 Ajaw 18 Mak (790). Likely carved around 9.18.0.0.0, it
bears information which uses the eclipse glyph, referring to the total solar eclipse
that occurred 84 days before the monument dedication. A total solar eclipse is, without any doubt, a remarkable event that could have still been recorded while preparing the text for the monument. Table 1 lists the events displayed on Stela 3.
All events fall within 24 years, from 766 (the birthdate of the ruler) to 790 CE
(stela dedication). At this point, it is necessary to notice that though the Maya usually commemorated period endings based on the tun (winikhaab’) cycles of
360 days, they occasionally celebrated haab’ (365-day cycles) anniversaries.
Calendrical manipulations are identifiable through the repetitive use of 14 Kej and
5 Kib dates. So, when Yax B’alam acceded to the throne, he was exactly 16 haab’
years old. Curiously, this period of 5840 days equals ten canonic synodic Venus
cycles. On the day of his enthronement, the planet was around the same phase as on
his birthdate, perceived in the sky as the Evening Star, approximately 177 days (or
6 lunar months) after the superior conjunction (Meeus, 1995: 422). On the other
hand, the date associated with the solar eclipse uses tzolk’in multiples: it falls
11 × 260 days after Yax B’alam’s accession. It is also noticed that 11 × 260 = 2860 days
8 The starting point of the Maya Long Count, 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u, according to the
Goodman-Martínez-Thompson 2 (GMT2) correlation is taken as 11 August, 3114 BCE (proleptic
Gregorian) which is (at noon) a Julian Day Number (JD) of 584,283. This correlation is used by
Bricker and Bricker (2011). The so-called GMT family of correlations produces correlation constants between JD 584280 (= 8 August, 3114 BCE) and JD 584286 (=14 August, 3114 BCE). For
more details, consult Kelley (1976: 30–33; 1983: 157–160) and Bricker and Bricker (2011: 90–99).
S. Iwaniszewski
and provided photographs, drawings, and a detailed description of its Stela 3.
Palacios (1928: 139) supposed the glyph in question denoted the equinoxes or solstices, but his reading of the text was not correct. It should be observed that the text
displayed on the upper part of the stela is almost unreadable because of damage.
Two years later, Frans Blom visited the site and was able to correctly date the text
(Palacios, 1928: 115). Subsequently, Teeple (1931: 115, Fig. 19) reproduced the
glyph, which he identified with a total solar eclipse of 16 July, 790 (see Fig. 1b). The
value of a possible eclipse record as a means of providing an absolute chronology to
the Maya Long Count was also quickly acknowledged and Teeple (1931: 115) used
this information to support the G-M-T correlation.
8
Later, Thompson (1935: 74),
who, at that time, proposed his own correlation constant with JD 584,285, used the
date of the solar eclipse to discredit the correlation proposed by Martínez
(JD = 584,281), though he noticed that the date of the solar eclipse was correct only
if the correlation 584,286 (JD 584,286 = 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u) was used.
The lack of agreement on the correct calendar correlation has recently motivated
Martin and Skidmore (2012), who revived the validity of a 584,286 correlation.
Such oversimplified statements must be used with care.
Despite the remoteness of the site, Mathews (2006) visited the place, providing
up-to-date information on the Stela 3 hieroglyphic text. Stela 3 was commissioned
by Yax B’alam, a local ruler who was in power from 782 to 790 (?) and recorded a
series of events in his life culminating in a monument dedication at the periodending date 9.18.0.0.0 11 Ajaw 18 Mak (790). Likely carved around 9.18.0.0.0, it
bears information which uses the eclipse glyph, referring to the total solar eclipse
that occurred 84 days before the monument dedication. A total solar eclipse is, without any doubt, a remarkable event that could have still been recorded while preparing the text for the monument. Table 1 lists the events displayed on Stela 3.
All events fall within 24 years, from 766 (the birthdate of the ruler) to 790 CE
(stela dedication). At this point, it is necessary to notice that though the Maya usually commemorated period endings based on the tun (winikhaab’) cycles of
360 days, they occasionally celebrated haab’ (365-day cycles) anniversaries.
Calendrical manipulations are identifiable through the repetitive use of 14 Kej and
5 Kib dates. So, when Yax B’alam acceded to the throne, he was exactly 16 haab’
years old. Curiously, this period of 5840 days equals ten canonic synodic Venus
cycles. On the day of his enthronement, the planet was around the same phase as on
his birthdate, perceived in the sky as the Evening Star, approximately 177 days (or
6 lunar months) after the superior conjunction (Meeus, 1995: 422). On the other
hand, the date associated with the solar eclipse uses tzolk’in multiples: it falls
11 × 260 days after Yax B’alam’s accession. It is also noticed that 11 × 260 = 2860 days
8 The starting point of the Maya Long Count, 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u, according to the
Goodman-Martínez-Thompson 2 (GMT2) correlation is taken as 11 August, 3114 BCE (proleptic
Gregorian) which is (at noon) a Julian Day Number (JD) of 584,283. This correlation is used by
Bricker and Bricker (2011). The so-called GMT family of correlations produces correlation constants between JD 584280 (= 8 August, 3114 BCE) and JD 584286 (=14 August, 3114 BCE). For
more details, consult Kelley (1976: 30–33; 1983: 157–160) and Bricker and Bricker (2011: 90–99).
S. Iwaniszewski