 |
WHO'S WHO IN THE CLASSIC MAYA WORLD Peter Mathews |
| Tilom A sajal of La Pasadita, a subordinate center to Yaxchilan (ruled ca. AD 759-771) | PSD 001 | |
| Tilom is known from four lintels, two of which certainly come from the small site of La Pasadita and the other two probably so. La Pasadita is a small site located about 16 kilometers to the northwest of Yaxchilan, and it is clear that it was a small secondary center within the Yaxchilan kingdom. Tilom commissioned all four lintels on which he is named, and also built La Pasadita Structure 1, which is famous for its beautiful murals. Three dates are associated with Tilom: AD 759, 766, and 771. These dates span two reigns at Yaxchilan, and Tilom appears to have been an important noble under each ruler. The first date is early in the reign of Yaxun B'alam IV of Yaxchilan (he ruled between AD 752 and 768. Yaxun B'alam IV's emphasis on incorporating subordinate lords in his royal portraits has been much discussed in the literature. Tilom is one such noble, and apparently was what could be termed perhaps a provincial governor ruling over La Pasadita and its adjacent rich agricultural lands. In La Pasadita Lintels 1 and 2 Tilom is portrayed alongside his king Yaxun B'alam IV. In the New York City lintel he is portrayed with Chelte’ Chan K’inich Itzamnaj B'alam IV, the son and successor of Yaxun B'alam IV. From this it is clear that Tilom was still ruling at La Pasadita at least early in Chelte’ Chan K’inich Itzamnaj B'alam IV's reign. The Unknown Location lintel portrays Tilom alone on the date AD 771. It is interesting that none of the three monuments portraying Tilom in the company of his overlord states just where the event takes place—whether it is in La Pasadita or Yaxchilan. Most likely the scenes document Tilom's visits to the capital to have audiences with the king. Whatever the case, it is interesting that Tilom's monuments are of a higher aesthetic quality than the contemporary monuments in Yaxchilan, at least in the case of La Pasadita Lintel 2 and Yaxchilan Lintel 52, both of which commemorate the date 9.16.15.0.0 (AD 766). Tilom is consistently referred to as a not as an ajaw, but as a sajal—a rank subordinate to ajaws. No parentage statement for Tilom has survived. Two of the La Pasadita monuments record the name of their carver, a man called Chak Kalte'. Whether he was a local artist living in La Pasadita or one of the royal craftsmen from Yaxchilan is not clear. I suspect the latter, but since he is not documented at Yaxchilan I have listed him as a La Pasadita individual. |  COL: Unknown Location, Lintel: B1 Drawing by Peter Mathews. | |
| Complete List of Text References
What's in a Name? Portraits List of Buildings Commissioned Monuments Commissioned - La Pasadita Lintels 1 and 2, and the murals of La Pasadita Structure 1, as well as one lintel now in New York City and another lintel in an unknown location. Genealogy - References |  COL: Unknown Location, Lintel 2 Drawing by Linda Schele | |
Previous Page | Introductory Page | |||
| Return to top of page | Last Updated: 30-Sep-2005 | ||
|
Text links to all pages at this site are available at the FAMSI INDEX |
|||