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.