Temple of the Sun
From left: Photograph of the Central Tablet
from the Temple of the Sun (magnify),
illustration of the tablet (magnify).
The Central Tablet of the Temple of the Sun records the birth of the so-called Jaguar God of the Underworld, probably a Fire/Sun deity. Additionally, it recounts the beginning of the present era, records the 2 Kib' 14 Mol cycle of ceremonies, and recounts what was probably a rite of passage ritual known as Okte', literally wooden column. This ritual seems to be undertaken as part of a prepubescent rite and perhaps, was coordinated with other adolescent age rites such as the taking of the K'awiil scepter and the very similarly named b'olon yokte' ceremony known from other sites as well as Temple 14.
The following transcription, translation, and transliteration correspond to the glyph blocks between B16-D16 and N1-Q16 from the Central Tablet of the Temple of the Sun. Addition analysis and a transliteration will be available in the Spring of 2005.
Transcription
alay sihyaj k'ihnich taj wayib' k'intan b'olay sak?-naah sak b'aak naah chapa'at atin k'ahk' ti' ? k'ihnich k'in? ajaw ? 6 [k'in] 3 winikjiiy 5 haab' 18 winikhaab' 1 pihiiy pehtjiiy wak chanik i huli matwiil ub'aah uch'ab' jemnal ix[ik]? muwaan mat k'uhul mat ajaw 16 e'w 5 winikjiiy 18 haab'iiy 12 winikhaab' 9 pihiiy jehljiiy k'o'b' ti' chan yax simnal 4 ajaw 8 kumk'u i uti 2 kib' 14 mol puluy uway(a)b'il 3 ? k'uh k'ihnich k'in? ajaw utz'akaj 3 kab'an 15 mol joy? k'ihnich k'uk' naah ta otoot ch'aho'm b'aakel wayal k'ihnich kan b'ahlam k'uhul mat ajaw u ux tal tzakwa k'uh patlaj lakam ha' chan ch'e'n yemal k'uk' lakam witz 3 [k'in] 12 winikjiiy 6 haab'iiy 7 winikhaab'iiy 12 Ajaw 8 keh k'alwan ta okte'el k'an joy chitam utiiy toktan i uti 9 ak'b'al 6 xul k'alwan u 5 tal okte k'in? k'ihnich kan b'ahlam b'aakel wayal yichnal chaahk (GI) 18 [k'in] 2 winikjiiy 6 haab'iiy 2 kimi 19 sotz' sihyaj i ok[te]aj 12 [k'in] 8 winikij 1 haab' 13 ajaw 18 kank'in 10 tuun jub'uy ta okte'el
Translation
[On 1 Ik' 10 Sek (1.6.14.11.2)], here [on this day], born was the K'ihnich Taj Wayib' (heated torch sorcerer), the K'intan B'olay (Sun Center Jaguar), the White House, White Bone House Centipede, the Fire Bathing Mouth of the ?, the K'ihnich K'in? Ajaw.
6 days, 3 months, and 765 years [1.18.5.3.6 13 Kimi 19 Keh] after the Wak Chan had been embraced then arrived to Matwiil the person of the creation of Jemnal Ix[ik]?/Ju'n Mat Muwaan, the Divine Mat Ajaw.
16 days, 5 months, and 3858 years [9.12.18.5.16] after the hearth, the mouth of the sky, the first heated place had been changed [on] 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk'u, it then happened [on] 2 Kib 14 Mol that censed were the shrines [sleeping places] of the 3 ? God [and] K'ihnich K'in? Ajaw (GIII).
On 3 Kab'an 15 Mol dedicated was the K'ihnich K'uk' House, at the house [of] the Ch'aho'm, the B'aakel Wayal, K'ihnich Kan B'ahlam, the Divine Mat Lord.
For the third time, it was the god-conjuring, it happened [lit. was made] at the Lakam Ha' temple, the Great Mountain of the Descending Quetzal [lit. Descending Quetzal Big Mountain].
3 days, 12 months, and 146 years [on] 12 Ajaw 8 Keh, after K'an Joy Chitam had been tied into Okte'-ship, [which] happened at Toktan. It then occurred [on] 9 Ak'b'al 6 Xul that K'ihnich Kan B'ahlam, the B'aakel Wayal, was tied/presented as the fifth Okte' ? in the presence of Chaahk [GI].
18 days, 2 months, and 6 years [on] 2 Kimi 19 Sotz' after he had been born, he was then Okte'-ed.
12 days, 8 months, and 1 year [on] 13 Ajaw 18 K'ank'in [9.10.10.0.0], [on] the 10 stones [the half period] he descended in Okte'-ship.
Transliteration
[1.18.5.3.6 13 Kimi 19 Keh ] a-LAY-ya SIH-ja-ya K'INICH-TAJ-WAY-b'i K'IN-ni-TAN-na B'OLAY-yu-la SAK-NAH-hi SAK-B'AK-NAH CHAPAT a-ti-ni K'AK' TI'-? K'INICH K'IN? AJAW 6-3-WINIK-ji-ya 5-HAB' 18-WINIKHAB' 1-PIH-ya PET-ji-ya WAK-CHAN-ki i-hu-li ma-ta-wi-la u-b'a-hi u-CH'AB' je-NAL IX?/1 MUWAN MAT K'UHUL-MAT-AJAW 16-EW-wa 5-WINIK-ji-ya 18 HAB'-ya 12 WINIKHAB' 9-PIH-ya JEL-ji-ya k'o-b'a TI'-CHAN-na YAX-SIM?-NAL 4-AJAW 8-KUMK'U i-u-ti 2 kib' 14-mo-lo pu-lu-yi u-WAY-b'i-li 3-?-ti-K'UH K'INICH-K'IN?-AJAW-wa u-TZ'AK-AJ 3 KAB'AN 15 mo-lo JOY? K'IN-ni-chi K'UK'-NAH ta-OTOT-ti ch'a-ho-ma B'AK-le WAY K'INICH-KAN-B'AHLAM-ma K'UHUL-MAT-AJAW u-ux-TAL-la TZAK-wa K'UH PAT-la-ja LAKAM-HA' CHAN-na-CH'EN-na ye-ma-la K'UK'-LAKAM-wi-tzi 3-12-WINIK-ji-ya 6-HAB'-ya 7-WINIKHAB'-ya 12-AJAW 8-KEH K'AL-wa-ni ta-OK-TE'-le K'AN-na-JOY-CHITAM-ma u-ti-ya to-ko-TAN-na i-u-ti 8 AK'B'AL 6-XUL (9.10.8.9.3) K'AL-wa-ni u-5-TAL-la OK-TE' K'IN? K'INICH KAN-B'AHLAM-ma B'AK-lewa-WAY-la-ya yi-chi-NAL-la CHAK (GI) 18-2-WINIK-ji-ya 6-HAB'-ya 2-KIMI 19-SOTZ' SIH-ja-ya i-OK-TE'?-ja 12-8-WINIK-ji 1-HAB' 13-AJAW 18 KANK'IN 10-TUN-ni ju-b'u-yi ta-OK-TE'-le