Dear all,
Markus Eberl and myself have worked on Bolon (y)okte k'uh and presented
a paper on that topic during a conference on war in the Americas
entitled "Roads to War and Pipes of Peace: Conflict and Cooperation in
the Americas, Past and Present" (Bruxelles, 2002). The proceeding has
recently been published in a conference volume.
Please read our abstract:
Markus Eberl (Tulane University, New Orleans, USA) and
Christian Prager (University of Bonn, Germany):
Bolon Yokte K'u: Maya conceptions of war, conflict, and the
underworld.
The deity Bolon Yokte K'u is shown here to have had a consistent
association with underworld, conflict, and war from the beginning of
the Classic period into Colonial times. Bolon Yokte K'u provides not
only an insight into the Maya conceptions of conflict but is also
helpful to see how the conceptions were implemented by the elite. The
authors demonstrate that the deity is a recurrent theme in Classic
period inscriptions, Postclassic codices and the Books of Chilam Balam
from the Colonial period. The variety of documents allows them to apply
a diachronic perspective that heightens the understanding of the deity
and that evinces variation over time. The concomitant appearance of
Bolon Yokte K'u in art and writing enables the authors to identify
the iconographic attributes of the deity. Several monuments can be
shown to depict elite persons dressed up as Bolon Yokte K'u. The
identification of Bolon Yokte K'u on the "Vase of the Seven Gods"
(K2796) underscores its importance as one of the gods that were present
during the creation of the present world.
Kawil wrote:
> As promised here's a quick translation of the final passage of
> Tortuguero Monument 6, recording the 2012 Bak'tun ending:
> Tzuhtz-(a)j-oom u(y)-uxlajuun pik
> (ta) Chan Ajaw ux(-te') Uniiw.
> Uht-oom ?
> Y-em(al)?? Bolon Yookte' K'uh ta ?.
> "The Thirteenth 'Bak'tun" will be finished
> (on) Four Ajaw, the Third of Uniiw (K'ank'in).
> ? will occur.
> (It will be) the descent(??) of the Nine Support? God(s) to the ?."
> This is it. The term following uht-oom is the main puzzle, and largely
> effaced. The "descent" reference is highly tentative, too. The
> enigmatic deity Bolon Yookte' K'uh has been known for some time
> from many sources, and I suspect that he (or they) has some tangential
> relationship to the Principal Bird Deity, as well as war associations.
> Interestingly, he is a protagonist in the deep time mythology of
> Palenque, as recorded on Palenaue's Temple XIV tablet. A
> long-lasting character who's still around somewhere waiting, I suppose.
> - Dave S.
