Overview
Pakal ruled the city of Palenque for most of the 7th century and was buried deep within the Temple of the Inscriptions. His tomb, found intact in 1952, was sealed by a large, intricately carved stone lid.
Description
The relief shows the dead king poised between the earthly world and the underworld, framed by a world-tree and celestial bands in dense Maya iconography. Its imagery is a compact statement of Maya cosmology and sacred kingship.
History and legacy
The tomb is among the richest royal burials known from the ancient Americas. The lid is celebrated as a high point of Classic Maya art, and has also attracted fringe misreadings that scholars reject.