Rescuing the Origins of Dos Pilas Dynasty:
A Salvage of Hieroglyphic Stairway #2, Structure L5-49

Stairway 2, East Section

Up to the recent discovery and excavation of the Central Section of Stairway 2, Stairways East and West were the only sections known in Structure L5-49. From them certain periods of the history of Dos Pilas were either known or inferred. The dates in the sections excavated before went from 9.11.0.0.0 (652) to 9.11.11.9.17 (664) in the East Section and 9.12.5.9.14 (677) to 9.12.12.11.2 (684) in the western Section.

Besides the Central Section, four new steps have been discovered and excavated, two in the Eastern Section numbered by IDAEH excavators as Steps 6 and 5 (see Introduction for new numbers) and having dates between 647 to 660 and two more in the Western Section with dates between 661 and 673. All steps follow similar patterns to those discussed in the Central Section, that is starting with Distance Numbers to reach an anchor date and then dates for the events following.

Step 6 (Figure 11)

The uppermost top most step, now labeled Step 6, starts with and unknown number of k’in and perhaps 2 winal leading to the date 6 AJAW 13 MAK which was the same anchor date in Step 1, the last step of the Central Section. The following glyphs refer to the same HOTUN lacking expression to the full period ending of 9.11.0.0.0 and the next glyph is the "i-u-ti" or "it came to pass" expression leading to the date 4 MULUC 2 KUMK’U (648).

What follows is hard to understand: a skull with a closed eye and the subfix "mi" clearly pointing out the word for death known as "KIMI-(mi)". However the next glyph which could be part of the death verb is a combination of T4:?:517:23 as yet undeciphered. After this the next glyph is K’AWIIL MUTUL (a) AJAW. So the person who died is named with the God K nominal and identified as from Tikal. His death happened at SAK-ba-la and is followed by the glyphs "ta-ba" and a T532 which is the capture sign with kawak decorations. The "ta-ba" sign is also present in Step 2 in another death expression although there it is part of a nominal. The Cordemex Dictionary has an entry for the word "TAB" which is "gallows", "horca". Other entries are related to rope and cords. Perhaps the person was tied or hanged. The next glyph is "AJ-TUN" head biting a black sign for "pa" which appears also in the Western Section on Step 4 cb2 in reference to NUUN (u) JOL CHAK of Tikal and his flight after the war events of 677. The place can thus be read as "pa TUUN" and the person captures as AJ pa-TUN. The text ends with the "u-ka-hi" expression and Ruler One’s nominal.

This difficult passage then refers to the death of a K’AWIIL person from Tikal and its happening at a specific place. The glyphs that are part of this event are used in connection with other violent acts later but are as yet undeciphered and probably refer to things done to the person from Tikal. Since this event happens on (648) when NUUN (u) JOL CHAK, the 25^th ruler of Tikal is still ruling, the K’AWIIL from Tikal in this step is probably a subordinate who was killed. Since the death part of the text is not followed by the "u-kahi" glyph, it is not known who was responsible for this action but it is clear that the capture of the "pap TUUN" person was done by ba-la-ja CHAN K’AWIIL. If this event was done against Tikal by Ruler 1 it would mean that there is a parting of the ways between Dos Pilas and Tikal. It could also mean that Ruler 1 felt free from the Tikal over-kingship and acted in accordance to his own interests. Step 4 of Stairway 4 mentions the "hubuy u tol pacal" of LAMANA K’AWIIL on the same date and the action is clearly done by BALAJ CHAN K’AWIIL who was then 23 years old. The fact that the capture of AJ PATUUN happens concurrently points out to the first dispute between the two brothers.

Step 5 (Figure 12)

This next step has another episode that needs to be the subject of further study as it relates to war and its results on the loosing side. The step begins with an unknown distance number and the sign "u-to-ma" meaning it "will come to pass" and the date 12 AJAW 8 KEH, the anchor date of the 11 katun ending (652).

The text continues with the "iwal" glyph to a new date of 9 KAWAK 17 MUWAAN 9.11.6.4.19 (equivalent to 658). This date is several days before the date in Step 6 of 4 MULUC 2 KUMK’U and therefore refers to an event that happens after the apparent death of the K’AWIIL of Tikal, which the previous step wanted to emphasize.

The date in Step 5 refers to a star war or attack against Dos Pilas in 658 under the auspices or done by YUKNOOM of Calakmul who ruled between 636 and 686 A.D. and was a bitter enemy of Tikal. This ruler makes this first appearance in the Dos Pilas inscriptions on the date of 658 after having been already involved in a war against Tikal’s NUUN (u) JOL CHAK with whom he kept a long standing rivalry. According to Martin and Grube (2000) he was born in 600 and ascended the throne thirty-six years later. His name yu-ku-ma CH’EEN-na was adopted by him from a namesake from the early Classic history of Calakmul, probably one of the founders on the site.

Step 5 goes on to relate the LOK’ of ba-la-ja CHAN K’AWIIL to a place which appears also on Step 4 and others in the western Section following a LOK’ event of a similar nature except that there this is done to Tikal’s ruler. If this sign happens to two different rulers of different places it must not be a locative but part of a verbal phrase. It is then followed by the name of the place K’INICH ? a-WITZ which Grube (personal communication, e-mail 12/2001) thinks it may be Aguateca. The "TABAY" sign means "to climb", which would be appropriate if he went up to the sister capital.

This whole episode, coupled with the dates on Step 6 and as will be seen, on Step 4, emphasizes the conflicts waged by Calakmul as it takes control of the areas surrounding Tikal with a pincer like strategy of war.

But this brilliant strategy is further seen by the fact that YUKNOOM CH’EEN does not sacrifice the Ruler of Dos Pilas but makes him an ally of Calakmul, until their respective deaths many years later, and uses him to harrass Tikal’s southern flank. Many Maya inscription concerning war relate the capture and ritual sacrifice of Kings and vassals of the loosing sites among them: K’an Joy Chitam II of Palanque, Waxaklajuun Ub’aah K’awiil of Copán, Nuun u Jol Chak of Tikal and probably the Yuknoom’s successor Yuknoom Yich’aak K’ak. But Step 5 tells the reader that Ruler 1 was pardoned (?) and became an obviously willing ally signifying by this an understanding of human nature by the ruler of Calakmul who used the desire for independence from the elder brother by Ruler 1 of Dos Pilas.

Step 4

This step is one of the four that had been excavated before. Placed in the general context of the Central Section and the two new steps from this East Section, it relates episodes from 652 to 656 A.D. and therefore goes back to earlier events than those of Steps 5 and 6. Thereafter all the steps follow a sequential order of dates.

Step 4 begins with the usual distance number of 14 k’in 5 winal leading to the 11^th katun time period. This, like in all the other steps, is the date from which the next date is counted. Four tun later on the day 6 IX 2 KAYAB (657) a star war against Tikal is prominently mentioned with the YUKNOOM CH’EEN as the head of the attack and the consequent LOK’ or flight of NUUN (u) JOL CHAK. The following glyphs after his nominal are the glyph that follow the nominal of ba-la-ja CHAN K’AWIIL of Dos Pilas in Step 5 above and which is a verbal phrase denoting the way (tabay or climb) the looser fled and then the place where he goes. This is expressed by "ti-pa-?-na" perhaps a specific place. The last two glyphs are composed of a verb which according to Werner Nahm and David Stuart is deciphered with a "nu" syllable (Schele and Grube, 1994). Accordingly Schele believes that it is an act which is done to the Mutul Tzuk Ajaw or to the lords of Tikal. Stuart (2000) believes that the last glyph is an expression (tak) giving a plural sense to the word which in the case is "lord" and therefore should be lords (Stuart, personal communication).

The dates in Steps 6, 5 and 4 follow some what of a disorderly sequence. If the reader were to follow the traditional reading order Step 4 should come first, since the main event happens in 657, followed by Step 5. This would mean that the Tikal war comes first and then Step 5 with the war against Dos Pilas and finally Step 6 with the death of K’AWIIL of Tikal tells of an event that happens in 648 much before the dates of steps 5 and 4. Whether the steps were removed and then placed in a different order will probably never be found for certain. What follows however is read in typical fashion.

Step 3

Unfortunately this step is destroyed and eroded on the left side so there are only six glyph blocks remaining and the expressions "ut" where the dates should be. What the rest of the signs tell the reader is some unknown action done by Calakmul’s ruler to of the Dos Pilas Ruler 1 and NUUN (u) JOL CHAK of Tikal at a place called YAX HA. Whether this is the site presently known by that name or another to west of Tikal close to El Perú as identified by Simon Martin and mentioned the XVIII Maya Hieroglyphic Work book by Schele and Grube is in doubt. According to several authors (Guenter, e-mail 1-11-2001; Martin, e-mail 12/28/2001) this event could be a joint submission by both rulers to the Calakmul king and proves to be the reason for the "volte face" of Ruler 1 against Tikal later on. Because the step has no date there is no possibility of knowing if this is the case and when it happened, since the only clue comes from the glyph "ti-ba-ja" unfortunately with no following statement. However the time sequence allows for a date close to 661.

Step 2

Here the text follows the tradition of this whole series of steps with the distance number 2 k’in and 2 winal and the expression "u-to-ma". The date that will happen is 11 AJAW 18 CH’EN or the half period of 9.15.10.0.0. Immediately following there is a new date, 9 KAWAK 17 YAXK’IN (661), and the main event which is an attack and its consequences to "ta-ba JOLOOM" the ko-ba-na AJAW.

The attack is done by Ruler 1 again but this time with the assistance of ya-x(i)?-na ka-la-wa B’ALAM AJAW probably a friendly vassal or neighbor. The action occurs at a place, which for a lack of a better reading is called the "knot place", which according to Stuart and Houston (1994) could be somewhere between El Chorro and Lacanhá. This action is proof of an expansion to the north of the Dos Pilas polity, probably with the support and even direction of Calakmul, which having defeated Tikal was encroaching on the Pasión basin.

There are many places in the inscriptions of Dos Pilas where violent events happen and so many individuals against which the violent acts are done that the reader must wonder whether they are real wars or just raids resulting in captures and deaths. The so called "star war" glyph happens on relatively few steps but conversely captures and deaths are used more. What is evident is the continuos warfare in which Ruler 1 was involved and which may have originated the instability which a hundred years later proved the downfall of the dynasty and helped in the process of Maya collapse.

Step 1

The pattern in this step follows the other ones in that there is a distance number totally eroded followed by the "u-ti-y" expression and leading to 11 AJAW 18 CHEN which began the previous sequence on Step 2. The next date is preceded by IWAL sign and "u-t(i)" leading to 9 KABAN 5 POP.

At this date Ruler 1 captures "ta-mo", otherwise known as Torch Macaw, who is a ruler or an AJAW of secondary rank of Machaquilá and who is described following his nominal as "u-BAK" or "his prisoner". Following a custom of many Maya rulers, the expression "u" or the "guardian of" and the nominal of the captive becomes part of the titles used throughout the life of the captor. Ruler 1 will use the Torch Macaw nominal in several other texts.

Simon Martin (personal communication, e-mail 12-2001) believes "tah-mo" is from Machaquilá indicating that Dos Pilas expanded eastward as well as around it’s own area. Ruler one uses the title K’UHUL MUTUL (a) AJAW BACAB perhaps in reference to this important capture event. Since he is already at odds with his brother the use of the Tikal emblem glyph and the K’ UHUL title is indicative of a quarrel over legitimate rights to the throne. The date when this happens is 663 A.D. when Ruler 1 was approaching his middle age but still had another twenty years left to battle, the most important of which occurred from 672 to 679 against his Tikal rival.

Commentary

The discovery and excavation of the two uppermost steps of Stairway 2, East, adds surprising new information in the general context of the Dos Pilas inscriptions. Step 6 tells the reader that an important person named ? K’AWIIL AJAW of MUTUL suffers a violent death in 648.

In 659, Dos Pilas had been invaded by YUKNOOM CH’EEN of Calakmul and either willingly or forced to become an ally against future wars against Tikal. Two tun and sixteen winal earlier (657) Calakmul had attacked Tikal itself and forced the flight of its ruler.

The sequence of these two new steps and the following Step 4 does not seem to be in the order that Maya texts are read. In reality Step 6 should be the first read and then Steps 4 and 5 after. This is similar to the situation of the Central Section steps where Step 3 should follow Step 4 if the nominal order of the events were to be followed. Since Dos Pilas was under attack at the end of its history and a series of buildings were demolished to obtain stones for a series of defensive walls, it is possible that the stairways suffered some disturbance and that when replaced the order and sequence was not followed by the re-builders. This is the only logical explanation to this anomalous situation.

In the meantime other events relating to these dates are happening in Cancuén to the south of Dos Pilas just where the highland mountains of Alta Verapaz descend into the lowlands of Petén and the Pasión river becomes navigable thus assuming control of this highland-lowland trade route of great importance.

In 653, a person named K’INICH K’ANE AJK, not yet known as a ruler from Cancuén, dies in Calakmul. However, he is related to YUKNOOM CH’EEN and appears in the famous Cancuén panel as the first person of importance in the text. The panel is incomplete in the first part of the message and therefore it is not known who and where this person is from except that he is "y-chinal", or "in the company of" the ruler of Calakmul. What is known is that in 656, just before the war against Tikal (657), a ruler is installed in Cancuén by YUKNOOM CH’EEN. Later in 657 K’IIB AJAW arrives in Cancuén just when NUUN (u) BAK CHAK of Tikal is exiled from his city (Fahsen, 2000a; 2000b; 2001; Fahsen and Jackson, 2001; Martin and Grube, 1995; 2000; Schele and Mathews, 1998). After that at least one more ruler of Cancuén is installed under the patronage of YUKNOOM CH’EEN. These events clearly point out to the expansion of the Calakmul interests on the south western Petén and up to the headwaters of the Pasión river where the profitable trade routes from the highlands end.

The events in the steps of the East Section reach to 664 when TAH mo’ a ruler of Machaquilá, a neighboring site, is captured by Ruler 1 of Dos Pilas. This is therefore a second crucial period of the history of Dos Pilas (see Central Section) where the skirmishes against the small sites in the Petexbatún lead the way toward a third and final period where formal war against Tikal, a Maya-world war, lasts for another thirty years.

The analysis of these steps and the opinion of some authors possibly changes the up to the now spoused theory of continuos warfare and enmity between Dos Pilas and Tikal or at least points out to the need for further research in their relationship. In 648 Ruler 1 of Dos Pilas attacks a LAM NAH K’AWIIL which may have been an elder Tikal brother according to Guenter (personal communication) but maintains friendship with another brother NUUN (u) JOL CHAK until at least 660 or so when Calakmul forces an about face poisoning their friendship forever. However the arrival of Ruler 1 in Dos Pilas at the age of four years, when he is obviously too young to rule, still needs to be explained.

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