Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw – The Mayan Red Queen

Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw (also known as The Mayan Red Queen) was queen consort to the Mayan King K’inich Janaab Pakal of Palenque. She was married to him for forty-six years. Two of her sons would also rule Palenque as kings. Yet, her greatest legacy is her tomb, which is an archaeological treasure.^[1] Her tomb is the richest burial for a Mayan queen.^[2]

The birthdate of Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw is unknown.^[3] Her parentage is unknown.^[4] She was from Uxte’k’uh.^[5] In 626 C.E., Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw married King K’inich Janaab Pakal of Palenque. Therefore, Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw became Queen of Palenque.^[6] They would be married for forty-six years.^[7] She bore King Janaab Pakal at least two known sons.^[8] Their names were K’inich K’an Balam II and K’inich K’an Joy Chitam II.^[9] Two of them would be Kings of Palenque after their father’s death.^[10]

Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw wielded considerable power and political influence as Queen of Palenque.^[11] On the Palace Tablet, Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw sits on the left side of her son K’inich K’an Joy Chitam II.^[12] She is dressed as the Moon Goddess and gives him “the flint and war symbols.”^[13] This shows that she embodied the Moon Goddess for war purposes.^[14] Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw died on 16 November 672 C.E.^[15] Eleven years later, King K’inich Janaab Pakal died on 29 August 683 C.E.^[16]

Lady Ix  Tz’ Akbu Ajaw’s greatest legacy is her tomb, now known as Temple XIII.^[17] It was discovered in 1994 in Chiapas, Mexico, by Fanny Lopez and Arnoldo González.^[18] The tomb contained her sarcophagus, which was made of limestone, and the interior was painted with crimson cinnabar.^[19] Her body, ornaments, and offerings were also covered in cinnabar.^[20] Her headdress was of green stone with an elaborate collar of multicoloured shell beads.^[21] Her headband was composed of two circular disks made of green jade, which the Mayans viewed as the most valuable.^[22] Her mask was made of malachite tesserae.^[23] It also had obsidian and limestone eyes.^[24] Thus, scholars believe that this mask bears a “striking sense of the presence of the queen.”^[25]

Very few facts are known about Lady Ix Tz’ Akbu Ajaw.^[26] Yet, it is clear that she wielded immense considerable power and influence.^[27] During a period of warfare, she embodied the Moon Goddess.^[28] The greatest evidence that shows her power and influence is her tomb.^[29] Her tomb remains one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Mesoamerica.^[30]

Sources:

Blood and Beauty: Organized Violence in the Art and Archaeology of Mesoamerica and Central America. (2009). (Orr, H. Ed.; Koontz, R.) Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press.

Hernandez, L. H. (n.d.). “The Red Queen of Palenque”. HistoricalMX. Retrieved on  November 6, 2024 from https://historicalmx.org/items/show/50.

Janaab’ Pakal of Palenque: Reconstructing the Life and Death of a Maya Ruler. (2017). (Cucina, A. Ed; Tiesler, V. Ed.). Tucson, Arizona: University of Arizona Press.

Mazariegos, O. C., & et al. (2022). Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art. (Doyle, J. F. Ed; Pillsbury, J. Ed; Mazariegos, O. C. Ed.). United Kingdom: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pillsbury, J. (7 March 2018). “The Red Queen and Her Sisters: Women of Power in Golden Kingdoms”. The Met Museum. Retrieved on November 6, 2024 from https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/golden-kingdoms-red-queen-women-of-power.

Sharer, R. J. & Traxler, L. P. (2006). The Ancient Maya (6th Ed.). Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.