The Queen of Cobá:

The hieroglyphic texts of northern Belize are remarkable for their longevity, spanning from the Late Preclassic to the Late Postclassic (ca. 100 b.c –a.d. 1544). Together, these texts constitute an invaluable body of information that has thus far been generally overlooked and has not been integrated into larger syntheses of the region. This paper provides a diachronic review of the glyphic texts of northern Belize and contrasts them to the wider historical processes of the eastern Maya lowlands. A definition of the northern Belizean region precedes an outline of the corpora of monuments, as well as the textual sources on portable objects. This provides an historical review of northern Belize from the incipience of royalty to the eve of the Spanish Conquest.

Section: Middle Classic (Ad 500–600)mentioning

confidence: 68%

Under the Lordly Monarchs of the North: The Epigraphy of Northern Belize

Helmke

2020

“…This interpretation, however, does not exclude the possibility that Yaxuna was subordinate to Coba during the period in question. In fact, we believe this to be the case, given mentions of a kaloomte' associated with the Snake Dynasty in Stelae 1, 4, and 20 from Coba, dated to roughly the same time of construction and use of Sacbe 1 (Guenter 2013; Stuart 2010). Regardless, the ceramic data from the Arena Group suggest that the relationship between Yaxuna and Coba included an important economic component.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Interestingly, monuments from Coba have a number of hieroglyphic dates that range from a.d. 613–780, suggesting the site was at its political apex during the Late Classic period (Navarrete et al 1979). In fact, Guenter (2013) has identified a royal woman using the kaloomte' title at Coba during this period indicating that this city was one of the most important political powers in the northern lowlands during the Late Classic period. Thompson and his colleagues (1932:6; see also Folan et al 1983:11–12) also suggested that Coba might have been mentioned in some of the ethnohistoric documents as a site called Kinchil Coba.…”

Section: Previous Research On Sacbementioning

confidence: 99%

IMPACTS OF POLITICS ON MATERIAL CULTURE: EVALUATING THE YAXUNA-COBASACBE

González

Stanton

2013

Over the past thirty years, Mayanists have increasingly discussed the relationships between large polities. Advances in our understanding of epigraphy have largely driven this increased focus. Yet in areas where the epigraphic record is less understood, as is the case with the northern Maya lowlands, archaeologists have turned to other data to piece together political relationships. These data often consist of architectural and ceramic styles. Models based on such data generally assume that styles of material culture will cluster among social groups that are more closely knit than others (familial or political ties) or will occur in an area after it has been subordinated by a particular polity. One case where such a model has been applied is the site of Yaxuna, which was connected to the metropolis of Coba by a 100 km-long causeway during the Late Classic period. The difference between this case and others is that not only do the two sites share some aspects of material culture during this period, but we can also physically see that the sites were integrated by an actual road. In most cases where stylistic models have been applied, the possible routes connecting sites do not preserve, making the correlation between styles and social interaction more speculative. In this paper, we reevaluate the Yaxuna-Coba case using a modal analysis of the Arena ceramic group shared by Yaxuna and Coba during that time. Our data suggest that one particularly important type (Arena Red) was produced in Yaxuna and exported in a limited range of forms down the causeway toward sites in Quintana Roo. Although several archaeologists have argued that the causeway represents the subordination of Yaxuna by an expanding Late Classic Coba polity, our data suggest that the resulting impact on material culture may be more complex than current models imply. Ceramic economies operating in a very limited fashion within or outside of spheres of political action may have been common among the Maya, although the idea that trade follows flag certainly appears to have existed in this case.

“…There have been only a few attempts to elaborate such genealogies or lists of kings. Among these are those for Coba (Con Uribe and Esparza Olguín 2016; Graña-Behrens 2012; Gronemeyer 2004; Guenter 2014; Stuart 2010), Etzna (Pallan Gayol 2009), Chichen Itza (Boot 2005), Ek’ Balam (Lacadena García-Gallo 2003), Itzimte-Bolonchen (Graña-Behrens 2016), Oxpemul, and Uxul (Grube 2005, 2008). Here, I attempt to reconstruct the rulers from the Chan or Kan site, moving beyond earlier attempts and trying to put them in a chronological order (García Campillo 1995:vol.…”

Section: Reconstructing the Chan Or Kan Dynastymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The same can be said for dynastic sequences, which are less apparent in the northern inscriptions but are undoubtedly of equal importance. In the last decade, several dynasties have now be elaborated for places like Coba (Con Uribe and Esparza Olguín 2016; Graña-Behrens 2012; Gronemeyer 2004; Guenter 2014; Stuart 2010), Etzna (Pallan Gayol 2009), Ek’ Balam (Lacadena García-Gallo 2003), Itzimte-Bolonchen (Graña-Behrens 2016), as well for sites close to Calakmul, including Oxpemul or Uxul (Grube 2005, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

NEW EVIDENCE FOR POLITICAL HIERARCHY AND POWER IN THE NORTHERN MAYA LOWLANDS (a.d.600–1000)

Graña-Behrens

2018

This paper presents new evidence for hierarchy and power among the Classic Maya (a.d. 300–1000) from the northern lowlands. It expands the list of identified emblem glyphs, and, more particularly, focuses on emblems with numerals by questioning their meaning and function in terms of political organization. Furthermore, the paper centers on syntax, especially on the practice of structuring personal names and titles in order to isolate titles and emblem glyphs, as well as to rank individuals and further advance our understanding of ancient Maya political organization. Finally, a dynastic sequence of rulers and noblemen from the Chan or Kan kingdom (most probably Jaina) is proposed, as well as divergent monumental traditions within the northern region and a re-evaluation of interpolity relationships.