Link to enlarge Masculine head from Palenque Chiapas after Michel Zabé WHO'S WHO IN THE CLASSIC MAYA WORLD
Peter Mathews
Yax Ak    ANY 001

What's in a Name?
All three references to Yax Ak name him the same way: YAX-a-ku, which reads Yax Ak, 'Green Turtle'.

Also Known As
Yax AhkMartin and Grube 2000; Martin 2003

Other Names and Titles
Apart from the emblem glyph that names him as an 'Anayte' Ajaw' in Texts 1 and 2, no other names or titles are known for Yax Ak. The emblem glyph clearly indicates that he was of ajaw rank, and this is confirmed on Tonina Monument 31, where Yax Ak is said to be 'an ajaw of' the lord of Palenque—in other words an ajaw, but one who is subject to a lord of Palenque (I have argued that this Palenque lord is none other than the king K'inich Kan B'alam II, even though he is not referred to in the text by his royal name).



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