[Aztlan] Palenque artifact?

[Elaine Day Schele]

Hi Nick,

The most prominent "rats" (no one knows if they really are rats, but they
are no doubt rodents) at Palenque are those on the Temple XX1 Platform.  You
can see them in David Stuart's drawing at the end of the Sourcebook for the
30th Maya Meetings 2006.  His mother is not in the picture.

-----Original Message-----
From: aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org [mailto:aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org]
On Behalf Of Nick Hopkins
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 10:59 AM
To: Aztlan
Subject: [Aztlan] Palenque artifact?

In the May/June 2008 issue of Archaeology magazine, there is an  
interview with a choreographer who is reconstructing precolombian  
Maya dances for the tourist park at Xcaret.  He says one of his  
sources of inspiration is from Palenque:

"For example, at Palenque we were very pleased to be able to study  
the glyphs on a stone that was found about four years ago.  It  
depicts a local chief, his mother bearing a crown, his son, and  
several rats, which symbolize secrets.  From these scenes we begin  
constructing the ceremony..."

Rats?  Can anybody tell me what he is talking about?

Nick Hopkins
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