On This Day In History: Maya King Yuknoom Ixquiac ‘Jaguar Paw Smoke’ Assumes The Crown Of Calakmul – On Apr 3, 686

AncientPages.com - On April 3, 686, Maya king Yuknoom Ixquiac (Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk') - "Jaguar Paw Smoke" assumes the crown of Calakmul, now a Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Campeche, deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region.

Calakmul's ruler, Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk', depicted in a 696 visit to La Corona. Tulane (David Stuart / UT)

Yuknoom Ixquiac was a Maya king of the Kaan kingdom who ascended the throne in his thirty-sixth year. However, there are indications that he may have effectively governed the kingdom for a substantial period on behalf of the previous king, Yuknoom the Great, who may have been Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk's father was probably incapacitated in his later years.

Calakmul, one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities ever uncovered in the Maya lowlands, administered a large domain marked by the extensive distribution of their emblem glyph of the snakehead sign, to be read "Kaan."

Calakmul was the seat of what has been dubbed the Kingdom of the Snake or Snake Kingdom. This Snake Kingdom reigned during most of the Classic period.

Temple I, Calakmul Biosphere. Image credit: PashiX - CC BY-SA 4.0

Yich'aak K'ahk's accession was recorded at El Peru by local ruler K'inich Bahlam and at Dos Pilas by B'alaj Chan K'awiil. At Naranjo, the son of Lady Six Sky (K'ak' Tiliw Chan Chaak", acceded in 693.

In 695, Calakmul suffered a military defeat at the hands of Tikal. It was believed that the king was killed or captured in that battle.

A stucco scene at Tikal shows a prisoner being "adorned" for sacrifice and mentions the Kaan king in a related caption. The text is damaged, and in its current condition, it allowed for the possibility that it referred to Yich'aak K'ahk himself instead of him being the overlord of the prisoner to be killed.

A new find at La Corona revealed that the king survived at least until 696, when he visited that town. Researchers believe  Yich'aak K'ahk' is buried in Tomb 4 within Calakmul's  Structure 2.

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