Summary of events in Man of Tikal monument from 406:
8.18.7.3.5 August 3, 403 Funeral of king Nun Yax Ahiin
tended by K'uk' Mo
8.18.10.1.1 June 4, 406 Ritual tended by Siyaj Chan
K'awiil
8.18.10.1.10 June 13, 406 Ritual tended by K'uk' Mo
8.18.10.8.12 November 2, 406 Man of Tikal monument erection
tended by unknown
The apparent purpose of the monument is to commemorate the recently passed king, also probably the king before him, and of course promote both key players K'uk' Mo and Siyaj Chan K'awiil who were vying for power during the interregnum.
Summary of events in Tikal Stela 39 from 416:
8.19.0.0.0 March 22, 416 Katun ending ceremony tended
by K'uk' Mo
Tikal Stela 39 is a kind of follow-up to Man of Tikal, promoting K'uk' Mo and his legitimacy to rule Tikal, which eventually became a failed bid.
Summary of events in the Marcador monument from 416:
8.16.17.9.0 May 2, 374 Siyaj K'ak's ascension to Root
Tree House
8.17.1.4.12 January 13, 378 Funeral of king Chak Tok
Ich'aak tended by Siyaj K'ak'
together with spirit of
Spearthrowing Owl
8.18.17.14.9 January 21, 414 Siyaj K'ak's ascension to
Spearthrowing Owl Ho' Noom
Witz Kalomte
8.19.0.0.0 March 22, 416 Marcador monument erection
tended by unknown
Katun ending ceremony tended
by Siyaj K'ak'
The Marcador monument celebrates Siyaj K'ak's recently adopted new title and reminds people about how he presided over king's funeral almost 40 years earlier, already then legitimized by his original royal position and supernatural connections.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Summary: Tikal Stela 31
The following is a summary of events listed in Tikal Stela 31 from 445:
8.7.0.0.0 September 3, 179 Katun ending ceremony tended
by unknown
8.14.0.0.0 August 29, 317 Katun ending ceremony tended
by Baby Jaguar
8.16.3.10.2 August 5, 360 Chak Tok Ich'aak's ascension
to king of Tikal
8.17.0.0.0 October 18, 376 Katun ending ceremony tended
by king Chak Tok Ich'aak
8.17.1.4.12 January 13, 378 Funeral of king Chak Tok
Ich'aak tended by Siyaj K'ak'
8.17.2.0.15 October 23, 378 Nun Yax Ahiin's ascension to
Root Tree House tended by
Siyaj K'ak'
8.17.2.16.17 September 10, 379 Nun Yax Ahiin's ascension to
king of Tikal tended by Siyaj
K'ak'
8.18.0.0.0 July 5, 396 Katun ending ceremony tended
by king Nun Yax Ahiin
8.18.7.3.0 July 29, 403 King Nun Yax Ahiin dies
8.18.10.0.0 May 14, 406 Half-Katun ending tended by
Siyaj Chan K'awiil
8.18.15.11.0 November 24, 411 Siyaj Chan K'awiil's ascension
to king of Tikal
8.19.10.0.0 January 29, 426 Half-Katun ending ceremony
tended by king Siyaj Chan
K'awiil
9.0.0.0.0 December 8, 435 Baktun ending ceremony tended
by king Siyaj Chan K'awiil
together with Siyaj K'ak' and
spirit of Baby Jaguar
9.0.3.9.18 June 8, 439 Funeral of Siyaj K'ak'
9.0.10.0.0 October 16, 445 Half-Katun ending ceremony
tended by king Siyaj Chan
K'awiil
The focus is, naturally, on king Siyaj Chan K'awiil who established the stela to celebrate the most recent half-katun ending and promote himself. Secondarily, the focus is on his father and grandfathers, and a couple of more distant forefathers (or -mothers) who were connected to the king via period ending anniversaries. Overall, the singular purpose of the monument is to enforce the legitimacy of the king and the rule of his family. As a public monument established by a hereditary dictatorship, there is nothing unexpected in that.
We can see that the stela is not a history book. It sees relevance only in three kind of events: period endings, royal ascensions and royal funerals. Most important in all events is who presided over them and was thus in charge in Tikal. The only exception to this is the short remark on the death of king's father in 403, apparently because his funeral was presided over by a person whose memory was counterproductive to the reigning king's legitimacy.
For the reigning king, the stela lists his ascension and three period endings. For his father king Nun Yax Ahiin, the stela lists dual ascension and one period ending that he presided over, and his death. For his maternal grandfather king Chak Tok Ich'aak, the stela lists his ascension, one period ending that he presided over and his funeral. For his paternal grandfather Siyaj K'ak'/Spearthrowing Owl, the stela lists one funeral and two ascensions that he presided over, one period ending that he joined together with his grandson and finally his funeral.
For earlier bygone relatives, the stela lists two period endings whose anniversaries coincided with period endings the reigning king tended.
Anything else that took place in Tikal during the respective years is left without mention. That does not mean nothing relevant happened; it only means that from the point of view of royal legitimacy those events served no purpose.
8.7.0.0.0 September 3, 179 Katun ending ceremony tended
by unknown
8.14.0.0.0 August 29, 317 Katun ending ceremony tended
by Baby Jaguar
8.16.3.10.2 August 5, 360 Chak Tok Ich'aak's ascension
to king of Tikal
8.17.0.0.0 October 18, 376 Katun ending ceremony tended
by king Chak Tok Ich'aak
8.17.1.4.12 January 13, 378 Funeral of king Chak Tok
Ich'aak tended by Siyaj K'ak'
8.17.2.0.15 October 23, 378 Nun Yax Ahiin's ascension to
Root Tree House tended by
Siyaj K'ak'
8.17.2.16.17 September 10, 379 Nun Yax Ahiin's ascension to
king of Tikal tended by Siyaj
K'ak'
8.18.0.0.0 July 5, 396 Katun ending ceremony tended
by king Nun Yax Ahiin
8.18.7.3.0 July 29, 403 King Nun Yax Ahiin dies
8.18.10.0.0 May 14, 406 Half-Katun ending tended by
Siyaj Chan K'awiil
8.18.15.11.0 November 24, 411 Siyaj Chan K'awiil's ascension
to king of Tikal
8.19.10.0.0 January 29, 426 Half-Katun ending ceremony
tended by king Siyaj Chan
K'awiil
9.0.0.0.0 December 8, 435 Baktun ending ceremony tended
by king Siyaj Chan K'awiil
together with Siyaj K'ak' and
spirit of Baby Jaguar
9.0.3.9.18 June 8, 439 Funeral of Siyaj K'ak'
9.0.10.0.0 October 16, 445 Half-Katun ending ceremony
tended by king Siyaj Chan
K'awiil
The focus is, naturally, on king Siyaj Chan K'awiil who established the stela to celebrate the most recent half-katun ending and promote himself. Secondarily, the focus is on his father and grandfathers, and a couple of more distant forefathers (or -mothers) who were connected to the king via period ending anniversaries. Overall, the singular purpose of the monument is to enforce the legitimacy of the king and the rule of his family. As a public monument established by a hereditary dictatorship, there is nothing unexpected in that.
We can see that the stela is not a history book. It sees relevance only in three kind of events: period endings, royal ascensions and royal funerals. Most important in all events is who presided over them and was thus in charge in Tikal. The only exception to this is the short remark on the death of king's father in 403, apparently because his funeral was presided over by a person whose memory was counterproductive to the reigning king's legitimacy.
For the reigning king, the stela lists his ascension and three period endings. For his father king Nun Yax Ahiin, the stela lists dual ascension and one period ending that he presided over, and his death. For his maternal grandfather king Chak Tok Ich'aak, the stela lists his ascension, one period ending that he presided over and his funeral. For his paternal grandfather Siyaj K'ak'/Spearthrowing Owl, the stela lists one funeral and two ascensions that he presided over, one period ending that he joined together with his grandson and finally his funeral.
For earlier bygone relatives, the stela lists two period endings whose anniversaries coincided with period endings the reigning king tended.
Anything else that took place in Tikal during the respective years is left without mention. That does not mean nothing relevant happened; it only means that from the point of view of royal legitimacy those events served no purpose.
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