Women in Maya Society - Earliest Maya Depiction of Women

Earliest Maya Depiction of Women

The earliest known Maya stone carving of a woman was found at a site in northern Guatemala called Naachtun. The stela is about six feet high and three feet wide, with many inscriptions, some of which have been too damaged to read. The damage was most likely caused in an attack on the city. The stela dates to 300-400AD, showing that women held positions of power early in Maya society, either as queens or deities. The stela shows the head of a woman wearing an elaborate headdress with her hands on each side holding the glyphs for “7 Black K’an,” and “9 Ajaw.” A hieroglyph above her head reads her name, Ix Tzutz Nik. This name is found on many other artifacts as well. Archaeologists do not know whether the woman is a queen of Tikal or a mythological figure, or both. The Maya later buried the monument during the 6th or 7th century near Naachtun’s temples, in a ceremony meant to honor the woman whose image is shown. The burials of monuments were usually reserved for important founders or rulers.