Watʼul Chatel
King of Seibal
Stela 10 showing the king Watʼul Chatel
Stela 10 at Harvard University showing the king Watʼul Chatel
ReligionMaya religion

Watʼul Chatel was a king of Seibal, the Maya city. He is also known as Aj Bʼolon Haabʼtal.[1]

Biography

Seibal's refounding took place in AD 830 when Watʼul Chatel became a king, as a vassal of Chan Ekʼ Hopet of Ucanal.[2] The new king dedicated a new building and stelae in 849, overseen by Jewel Kʼawil, the king of Tikal, and Chan Pet, king of Calakmul.[3] Watʼul Chatel built an innovative new temple-stelae arrangement to the south of the Central Plaza of Group A.

His last monument was erected in 889, almost 60 years after his accession.

Depictions

On Stela 8 Watʼul Chatel wears jaguar claws on his hands and feet, together with other attributes of the Bearded Jaguar God.[4]

Stela 9 depicts Watʼul Chatel with the attributes of the Maize God and describes him invoking the Vision Serpent, which he grasps in his hands.[5]

Stela 10 depicts Watʼul Chatel dressed in Terminal Classic Maya style, although his foreign-looking face bears a moustache. The text on this stela displays the glyphs of Tikal, Calakmul and Motul de San José, describing how he received noble visitors from those cities.[6]

Stela 11 describes the refounding of Seibal on 14 March 830 and the installation of Watʼul Chatel.

Notes

  1. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 524
  2. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 523.
  3. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, pp. 313, 361, 524.
  4. ↑ Kelly 1996, p. 156. Schele & Mathews 1999, pp. 190-191.
  5. ↑ Schele & Mathews 1999, pp. 187-188.
  6. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 523. Schele & Mathews 1999, pp. 185-187.
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