MAYA EARLY CLASSIC MONUMENTS AND INSCRIPTIONS Peter Mathews . Harvard University INTRODUCTION t is not my purpose in this paper to attempt Tectaprebensive tedy of Barly Classic inscriptions. Rather, I shall present the results of my survey of Early Classic inscriptions by means of various tables and figures, along with a brief synopsis of the history of Early Classic Maya inscriptions, and reserve most of this paper for a discussion of three important topics relating to the Early Classic period: 1, Emblem Glyphs and state formation within the Early Classic period. 2. The relationship between Tikal and Vaxactun. 3. The piace of Early Classic texts in the development of Maya hieroglyphic writing: a. The origins of Maya hieroglyphic writing. b. The subject matter of Early Classic texts, c. Early Classic versus Late Classic texts.! For the purposes of this paper, the Barly Classic period will be defined as beginning about 8.10.0.0.0 (A.D. 238), for reasons that will become apparent later in the paper. The end of the Early Classic period has been defined by Proskouriakoff (1950:112) as 9.8.0.0.0 (A.D. 593). I shall follow this dating, although as will be scen there are good grounds for placing the end of the Early Classic periad some 10 ‘years earlier—at 9.7,10.0.0 (A.D. 583). EARLY CLASSIC MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS From Table | it can be seen that there are 260 Early Classic carved monuments, in addition to 17 monuments which by style are Preclassic. These totais include for the most part only major stone monumental sculptures. These are stelae, altars, and lintels, although a few important pieces in other media have been included, such as the wooden lintel from El Zotz, the Uaxactun murals, and (of smaller size) the Copan peccary skull and various incised celts, With few exceptions, ceramic texts have not been included. Of the above totals, 7 Preclassic and 37 Early Classic monuments carry no inscriptions. Thus we are left with a corpus of 10 Preclassic and 223 Early Classic monuments with inscriptions. ‘Table 2 is a list of ali Early Classic dates which 1 have been able to find, Of course, some dates are more questionable than others; these are marked with queries. I have also included Early Classic dates inscribed on Late Classic monuments. In tany cases, these dates were inscribed centuries after the event which they commemorate; they are indicated by asterisks. Table 3 lists monuments in chronological order of their “dedicatory date.” In some cases—where no date survives~the most likely “style date" is listed, but in most cases the dedicatory date is taken to be the latest date inscribed on the monument,MAYA EARLY CLASSIC MONUMENTS AND INSCRIPTIONS TABLE 1. LIST OF MAYA PRECLASSIC AND EARLY CLASSIC MONUMENTS AND INSCRIPTIONS SITE Carved Monument Dedicatory Date Figures Glyphs Surfaces Notes ALTAR DE SACRIFICIOS Stela 10 9.1.0.0.0 is - as F Stela 11 9.2.0.0.0 is - we F Stela 12 9.4.10.0.0 1S 1M % FLR Stela 13 9.3.0.0.0 Is - 4 F Stela 18 9.4.0.0,0 is 1M a F I Altar 1 9.715.2.9 - 9 T Attar 3 9.3.0.0.0 _ 20? T Altar 4? style — _ 18? T Altar 6? style — 2 T Altar 7? style — TP? ALTUN HA Jade Plaque 9. 7HE 217 ™ 2» FB Jade Earspools style - 6 P BALAKBAL Stela 5 8.18.10.0.0 PE ? 0 FLR BEJUCAL Stela 1 style (Cycle 8) 1s IM * FLRB Ot Stela 2 8.17.17.0.0 1s IM FB Stela 3 style — iM F A St.2 style — Yn T CALAKMUL Stela 43 9.4.0.0.0 1s IM2C 57 FLR CARACOL Stela I 1s IM,ID (36? F Stela 2 IM? - F Stela4 IM2C 16+ FB Stela 13 Is 1M? 61 FB Stela 14 Is IM 46? F Stela 15 1M 90+ F Stela 16 Is 1M mm FB Stela 18 2 — n F Stela 2027 n she F Altar 1 - 1 T Aitar3 72 ~ t T Altar 4 ~ ' TPETER MATHEWS. SITE Carved Monument Dedicatory Date Figures Glyphs Surfaces. Notes Altar $ 9,6.0.0,0 - 3a 1 Akar 6 9.7.0.0.0 _ ! T Altar7 9.4.10.0,0 m - 1 T Altar 197% 9, 3.10,0.0 ™ - 1 T CIVAL Stela 1 style (Preclassic) IM = F . copa Panel C style — _ 18+ ™ 2 Panel D style - 36 FE COLONIA LA ESPERANZA Ballcourt Marker 9, 7.17.12.14 1s IM 19 T COPAN Stela 9 9.6.10.0.0 Is IM? 634 FBLR Stela 15 9.4.10.0.0 1s ~ 40 FBLR Steia 16 style — ~ 14+ FB 3 Stela 17 9.6.0.0.0 Is ~ 6 FB Stela 18 9.7.0.0.0 m 8 IM 10 FBLR Stela 20 style (9.1.10) — 38+ FBLR 4a Stela 21 style (0.6.10) ~ cs FBLR 4b Stela 22 style (9.4. 0) ~ a F de Stela 24 9.2.10.0.0 Is ~ 12+ FB Stela 25 9.2.10.0.0 n ~ 6 FR Stela 35, style — 2M _ FB Stela 49 style — _ 20+ FB Alvar X style — 4M? 16 TFBLR 5 Alar ¥ style — 4G 6 TFBLR 6 Altar A’ style (9.5.0) ~ 3202 FE 4d Altar J’ style (9. 2.10) 1s TFLR 4c Altar K’ styie (9. 2.40) 1s ed TFLR af Altar L’ style (@. 5.0) 1s 4? TE 4g ‘Altar M’ style (9. 5.0) 1s M4? TE 4h Altar P’ styte (9. 2.20) _ 3 F 4i Altar 9.4.10.0.0 PE 28 8 tr Peccary Skull style — 2M cy TLR 7 EL ENCANTO Stela 1 style 1M 55 FLR EL PALMAR Altar 1 9.6.0.0.0 PE SH 2 T EL PALMAR outlier Stela style — IM 15+ FLRB