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FAMSI © 2002: Alfonso Morales |
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Recording New Inscriptions of Palenque
Research Year: 1995 I would like to thank FAMSI for the grant given to the project of Recording and Distribution of the New Inscriptions of Palenque. This project has been an excellent test case to the interdisciplinary and international cooperation between the archaeological project at Palenque and the researchers at Austin, Texas and in general the international community of Mayanists. During my stay at Palenque, I was able to make some detailed sketches of different figures. Enlarged drawings were made from the best pictures, but these cannot be considered final versions, since other Mayanists need to critique them. Included with this report are 87 color photos and 28 copies of the drawings that should be checked and corrected by comparing them with the originals in the future. I am also including descriptions from the archaeologist, Lic. Arnoldo Gonzalez, that explain the context of the different figures. Some of the names of the figures are only descriptive of their place of origin. As some were found in the excavation rubble, we do not know if those were the places where they were located in pre-Columbian times. The archaeological artifacts with hieroglyphic inscriptions are as follows:
1. Tablet of the Warriors from Structure XVII The Tablet of the Warriors was located in 1993 during the excavations of the Temple of the Warriors. The building is located 31 m south of the Temple of the Foliated Cross. This piece corresponds to the tablets seen in the other building of the plaza. The tablet was discovered during the exploration of the facade, and because of its disposition, it is determined it came from the building’s shrine. The piece was worked on high relief over two big slabs of limestone approximately 80 m in width by 2 m in height with a diameter of 10 cm. The rescue of the tablet was extremely difficult, because it was stuck to the posterior wall with mortar. As the wall collapsed, the tablet came down with it and ended up buried in between the rubble. This is the reason why it broke into 40 pieces. It represents a scene where a central figure is seen from the front with the head facing to the right side. The individual is richly dressed, wearing a cap representing a jaguar. The individual is also wearing counterweight earflaps, a necklace holding a small head, and a long loincloth. He also carries wristbands, ankle socks, and sandals. With the right hand he presents a rope that has a point.
Photo 12 - Drawing 28 (see also Schele Drawing 118 for field drawing) 2. Stone sculpture from Group IV Stone portrait from Group IV was found in the southern room of the superior gallery in the building. It was found with other sculptures that lacked hieroglyphics. The building presents two levels, where the inferior consists of three galleries. The external gallery is the only one without an arched roof. In the top story, the building has two corridors that run north to south, where they possibly lead to a terrace. The location of the sculptures opens up the probability that the other sculptures or tablets can be found on the opposite extreme of the upper level, thus creating an intentional symmetry.
Photo 4 - Drawing 3 - Drawing 7
Drawing 5 3. Stucco hieroglyphs from Structure XVI The Temple XVI is a combination of rooms in several levels built on a platform joining the base’s north side to the Temple of the Cross. Our principal objective before beginning the exploration of the temple was to define the northeast corner of the base. Upon beginning cleaning details, we realized that it was only a section of the facade west of the temple. Given the characteristics of the building’s architecture along with the base’s function, it urged us on to initiate the work of the structure. Allusive references of Temple XVI were found in W. Holmes (1895-97) who described the excavations of several tombs on the Temple’s north side. On the other hand, it was Alfred P. Maudslay whose topographic removal in 1889 shows for the first time the location and topography of the temple. Finally, in 1923 Franz Blom leaves a small description of the structure. To the north and at the foot of the Temple are small hills that, when stripped of their vegetation, present another entrance to a tomb, where a flight of steps can be used to descend. The excavation proved to be a loss, because the main room of the tomb was destroyed and the only way of exposing it would be by excavating the top of the hill. The mentioned hill is surrounded by retention walls and many others are found nearby with possible tombs. In reality what Blom described is not a tomb, but rather an arched corridor that connected to the third level of the second constructive stage. The recent work carried out in the temple allowed us to determine the principal architectural characteristics. The Group XVI is a series of eight habitable buildings with a corridor and central patio to the extreme east. It is built on a natural platform on the north side of the Temple’s base. Jointly, this group of floors represents a rectangular form. It measures approximately 90 m in length from east to west and 37 m in width from north to south. Its principal facade is oriented toward the north. All the walls and ornamental facings are constructed with the same technique and material. They are stone, carved varying in size, united with mortar, and at one time covered with stucco. All the facings are wide and have preserved their height, including some that reach 2 m. Until now we can speak of three constructive stages. During the first stage, Building 1 had a rectangular form of 20 m in length by 10 m in width. Formed by four floors of spacious interior, built on a platform that is 2.60 m tall. A staircase measuring 6.50 m in width constitutes the principal access point which is in the excavation process. This staircase leads into a terrace that communicates to a spacious room measuring 7 m in length by 3.3 m in width. This room represents a second access point. During the cleaning of the rubble about eighty stucco hieroglyphics were found buried all over the floor. These principally decorated the wall in the room and are still found in the same area. On the west side of the room it was possible to find others with the same characteristics we designated as sector 29, and measured 7.50 m in length by 2.50 m in width. This presented two points of access. The principal being 2.50 m in width, while the smaller measured 75 cm. During the removal of rubble we ran into pavement that limits the two rooms of the terrace. Upon this pavement appeared a grayish sandstone axe that was designated Element #4. This room on the south side of the extreme west communicates with another room having the same characteristics, providing a 2 m wide access point. The room measures 6 m long by 2.50 m in width. The wall on the west side has a small niche just like the one on the northern wall. The only difference is that the first has a small altar joined to it, and covered with stucco. This room communicates with another on the southeast side through a 70 cm opening. This new room communicates to a corridor from the southeast separating Building 1 and Building 4. Precisely in the east side of the small staircase we found a fragment of limestone containing Maya hieroglyphics. The fragment has been designated XVI/Element #8 "The Bundle". It is 40 cm in height by 28 cm in width by 10 cm in diameter. The piece shows five persons descending the staircase carrying a bundle. It is possible the fragment forms part of a panel distinctive of Palenque, which originally is fixed to the superior part of Building 4. The piece was found with its engraved face downward, which prevented the erosive action of water to take hold. During the initial exploration of Building 2, a considerable series of fragments were found dispersed throughout the surface’s western sector. The building is a small platform, which differs characteristically to Building 1. There is an impression that the architecture relied on perishable material, since there is no evidence of the walls built with limestone. This building measures 11 m in length by 6 m in width. 4. Miniature tablet from Structure XVI This small panel is often referred to as "The Bundle" because of the large bundle seemingly being carried.
Photo 1 - Drawing 1 (see also Schele Drawing 119 for field drawing) 5. Stone sculpture with hieroglyphs from Temple of the Sun It is a monolithic fragment of limestone that presents on one of its sides an element with hieroglyphics. It was found in the rubble inside the base of the Temple of the Sun. 6. Stone sculpture from Structure XX This sculpture was found during initial excavations. 7. Stone tablet from the north side of The Palace Located in the second constructive stage of the staircase that provided access to the Palace’s platform on the north side, it was found as it protruded from the surface. 8. Jade pendant from Temple of the Skull The piece is part of funeral attire of more than seven hundred pieces of diverse materials including jade, bone, shell, and pearl. It was located in the interior funeral chamber during the constructive first stage of the building. The piece is a bar 8 cm tall by 5.5 cm in diameter of semi-circular form, shown in bas-relief in three columns of three hieroglyphics each in the posterior. In the frontal part is a facial representation of "C" God of Palenque. Once again I want to thank the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI) for giving us the opportunity to work in this project. Click here to view additional drawings by Linda Schele.
Submitted 01/01/1996 by: |
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