[Aztlan] El Mirador & The Snake kings of Calakmul

[David Schoen]

 have a question for Justin or anyone who might answer my query.

 In researching the history of El Mirador, it seems possible that a list of rulers of El Mirador survives.
>From Robert J. Sharer, "The Ancient Maya", 6th edition, 2006, P.259, 261:
                                                                             "A possible clue regarding late preclassic rulers at El Mirador comes from an improbable source --- a record of the names and inauguration dates for a sequence of 19 rulers on a series of late classic vases that begins with a founder nicknamed 'Skyraiser'. Although they are identified as rulers of the 'snake' (Kan or Kaan polity), the name associated with the classic period site of Calakmul to the north, the dates of their reigns do not correspond to the reigns of Calakmul's known kings. But these dates do match a late preclassic chronology beginning in 396 b.c.e. and extending into the 1st century c.e. indicating they may be a retrospective record of a late preclassic dynasty, copied many centuries later onto pottery vessels. The identity of the polity capital ruled by these kings remains an enigma. But if they are preclassic rulers the most likely possibility is El Mirador --- in fact these vases were manufactured in the El Mirador basin. Thus this retrospective record may trace the dynastic history of El Mirador itself, the largest and most powerful late preclassic kingdom in the Maya lowlands."

and, again at P. 357: The sequence of 19 rulers of the Kan dynasty (identified by the snake head emblem (glyph), recorded on a series of late classic codex-style painted vases, made in the El Mirador basin.........The location of the late preclassic capital of the Kan dynasty has not been identified, but it may have been at El Mirador....This could mean that Calakmul was a late preclassic dependency of El Mirador that became the new seat of the Kan dynasty in the classic period after the downfall of the original capital.

Lastly, the possibility of a causeway from El Mirador to Calakmul is mentioned.
P.252: One causeway from the hub of El Mirador heads north and may be linked to the later classic capital of Calakmul.
P.211 fig.5.16 Map of Nakbe --- right causeway to 'Kan'.

In 'Chronology of the Maya Kings and Queens' (2000) by Martin & Grube P. 114 there is an illustration of a 'codex-style' vase. The outline of the Snake Kings on P. 102 is in general agreement with Sharer, but states : "No fewer than 11 painted vases carry varying lengths of the same sequence, the longest charting the inaugurations of 19 kings, beginning with 'Skyraiser'. Unfortunately, their calendar round dates have no anchor in the long count and cannot be fixed in time". The illustration on P.102 dubs these vessels as "Dynastic Vases".It is noted on P.114 that the archaeological work of Richard Hansen and stylistic and chemical 'fingerprinting' of Dorie Reents-Budet  and Ronald Bishop have isolated the original production area of the "Dynastic Vases" to the old preclassic heartland around El Mirador and Nakbe.

Where may I find a listing of these 19 rulers? Any papers done?  Is there a causeway between El Mirador and Calakmul?

Any light shed on this query is appreciated.


                                                                                             David Schoen