Temple of the Sun
The Temple of the Sun was called Pas-Kab' (open-earth). This name refers to the Sun's journey into the underworld at the end of the day. The image from the Central Tablet depicts the visage of GIII in his so-called Jaguar God of the Underworld (JGU) manifestation. This image is again flanked by two depictions of K'ihnich Kan B'ahlam. We now know that the GIII was not only a solar deity, but also a fire god when appearing as the JGU. He probably had, like most Maya deities, many other manifestations as well. This is suggested by the multiple names listed in the initial birth passage from the Temple of the Sun.
alay sihyaj k'ihnich taj wayib'
Here [on this day], born was the K'ihnich Torch Sorcerer,
k'intan b'olay
the Sun Center Jaguar,
sak naah sak b'aak naah chapa't
the White House, White Bone House Centipede,
atin k'ahk' ti' ?
Fire-bathed is the Mouth of the "Squared-nosed serpent,"
k'ihnich k'in? ajaw
the K'ihnich Sun Lord.
The contemporary Ch'orti' also describe the Sun as a multi-faceted deity. The following passage, recorded by John Fought illustrates the Sun's many aspects and suggests a strong continuity between Classic period and contemporary conceptions of the Fire/Sun God.
They say that the Sun has not just one name. The one which he is best known by people continues to be Jesus Christ. They say that when it is just getting light its name is Child Redeemer of the world. One name is San Gregorio the Illuminator. One name is San Antonio of Judgment. One name is Child Guardian. One is Child Refuge. One is Child San Pascual. One is Child Succor. One is Child Creator. They say that at each hour, one of these is its name. (Fought 1972:485)
Those who would doubt the comparison between this passage and the initial birth passage from the Temple of the Sun, need only to look to the qualities that lie behind the names of the Ch'orti' deities: San Antonio is the God of Fire and of the hearth; San Gregorio emits beams of light; and San Pascual is Venus as morning star. The Lacandon, another Maya group, in fact list a deity named äh b'o'olay as a synonym of äh k'ak', a deity of "la guerra y de la caza [of war and the hunt]" (Bruce 1968: 126). The Jaguar God of the Underworld was particularly associated with martial imagery. In the imagery of the Central Tablet his face adorns a shield set upon crossed spears.
Central Tablet from the Temple of the Sun.