The Queen
Lady Xoc is one of the most prominent and probably politically powerful women in the Maya civilization. Lady Xoc is shown here performing an important royal rite of blood letting. By pulling the rope studded with obsidian shards through her tongue, she causes blood to drip onto paper strips held in a woven basket to be burned as depicted on Lintel 25. Blood scrolls can be seen on her face. The queen also wears an elaborate headdress. There are flower tassels on the main part of the head band and a mosaic depiction of Tlaloc sprouting quetzal feathers. Her elaborately carved huipil is trimmed with fringe and pearls. Her necklace also appears to have a pectoral depiction of the sun god. It is probably made of shell or jade plaques, as are her wrist cuffs.
Read more about this topic: Yaxchilan Lintel 24
Famous quotes containing the word queen:
“Queen Jane was in labor
Six weeks and some more;
The women grew wearied,
And the midwife gave o’er.”
—Unknown. The Death of Queen Jane (l. 1–4)
“We are no more free agents than the queen of clubs when she victoriously takes prisoner the knave of hearts.”
—Mary Wortley, Lady Montagu (1689–1762)