Ajaw or Ahau/ɑːˈxaʊ/ ('Lord')[1] is a pre-ColumbianMaya political title attested from epigraphic inscriptions. It is also the name of the 20th day of the tzolkʼin, the Maya divinatory calendar, on which a ruler's kʼatun-ending rituals would fall.
Logogram for the 20th named-day of the TzolkinMaya calendar cycle, Ajaw (this version is typical of many monumental inscriptions)
The word is known from several Mayan languages both those in pre-Columbian use (such as in Classic Maya), as well as in their contemporary descendant languages (in which there may be observed some slight variations). "Ajaw" is the modernised orthography in the standard revision of Mayan orthography, put forward in 1994 by the GuatemalanAcademia de Lenguas Mayas, and now widely adopted by Mayanist scholars. Before this standardisation, it was more commonly written as "Ahau", following the orthography of 16th-century Yucatec Maya in Spanish transcriptions (now Yukatek in the modernised style).
In the Maya hieroglyphicswriting system, the representation of the word ajaw could be as either a logogram,[2] or spelled-out syllabically. In either case, quite a few glyphic variants are known.[2] A picture of the ruler sometimes substitutes for the more abstract day sign.
Meaningedit
Ajaw denoted any of the leading class of nobles in a particular polity. It was not limited to a single individual, with a meaning variously rendered as "leader", "ruler", "lord", "king", or "queen", depending on the individual. Since the ajaw performed religious activities, it also designated a member of the Maya priesthood. The variant kʼuhul ajaw ("divine lord") indicates a sovereign leader of a polity, although the extent of the territory and influence controlled by an ajaw varied considerably, and kʼuhul ajaw could also be applied to persons who, in theory, recognised the overlordship of another person, dynasty, or state. When the title was given to women rulers, such as K'awiil Ajaw (640-681 AD) of Coba, the term was sometimes prefixed with the sign Ix ("woman") to indicate their gender.
Earliest evidenceedit
The archaeological site of Kʼo, associated with the Classic Maya city of Holmul located in modern-day Guatemala, boasts what may be the royal tomb of the earliest-known Mayan ruler. This tomb has been dated to 350-300 BC. It contains the earliest evidence of the institution of ajaw in the Maya Lowlands.[3]
^Kettunen, Harri; Christophe Helmke (2005). Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphs(PDF). Wayeb and Leiden University. p. 32. from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
^ abKettunen, Harri; Christophe Helmke (2005). Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphs(PDF). Wayeb and Leiden University. p. 16. from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
^John Tomasic and Steven Bozarth (2011), New Data from a Preclassic Tomb at Kʼo, Guatemala. Kansas.academia.edu
Montgomery, John; Peter Mathews; Christophe Helmke (2002–2007). "Dictionary of Maya Hieroglyphs" (online version). Maya Hieroglyphic writing: Dictionaries. Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc (FAMSI). from the original on 7 June 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
Osborne, Deborah (1994–95). (PDF). Amerindia, Revue d'Ethnolinguistique amérindienne. 19–20: 435–442. ISSN 0221-8852. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-11-19. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
'AJAW', sound file and syllabic glyph example at John Montgomery's Dictionary of Maya Hieroglyphs, published online at FAMSI
January 01, 1970
ajaw, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, july, 2010, learn, when, remove, this, message, ahau, ɑː, lord, columbia. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations July 2010 Learn how and when to remove this message Ajaw or Ahau ɑː ˈ x aʊ Lord 1 is a pre Columbian Maya political title attested from epigraphic inscriptions It is also the name of the 20th day of the tzolkʼin the Maya divinatory calendar on which a ruler s kʼatun ending rituals would fall Logogram for the 20th named day of the Tzolkin Maya calendar cycle Ajaw this version is typical of many monumental inscriptions Contents 1 Background 2 Meaning 3 Earliest evidence 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBackground editThe word is known from several Mayan languages both those in pre Columbian use such as in Classic Maya as well as in their contemporary descendant languages in which there may be observed some slight variations Ajaw is the modernised orthography in the standard revision of Mayan orthography put forward in 1994 by the Guatemalan Academia de Lenguas Mayas and now widely adopted by Mayanist scholars Before this standardisation it was more commonly written as Ahau following the orthography of 16th century Yucatec Maya in Spanish transcriptions now Yukatek in the modernised style In the Maya hieroglyphics writing system the representation of the word ajaw could be as either a logogram 2 or spelled out syllabically In either case quite a few glyphic variants are known 2 A picture of the ruler sometimes substitutes for the more abstract day sign Meaning editAjaw denoted any of the leading class of nobles in a particular polity It was not limited to a single individual with a meaning variously rendered as leader ruler lord king or queen depending on the individual Since the ajaw performed religious activities it also designated a member of the Maya priesthood The variant kʼuhul ajaw divine lord indicates a sovereign leader of a polity although the extent of the territory and influence controlled by an ajaw varied considerably and kʼuhul ajaw could also be applied to persons who in theory recognised the overlordship of another person dynasty or state When the title was given to women rulers such as K awiil Ajaw 640 681 AD of Coba the term was sometimes prefixed with the sign Ix woman to indicate their gender Earliest evidence editThe archaeological site of Kʼo associated with the Classic Maya city of Holmul located in modern day Guatemala boasts what may be the royal tomb of the earliest known Mayan ruler This tomb has been dated to 350 300 BC It contains the earliest evidence of the institution of ajaw in the Maya Lowlands 3 See also editHalach UinikReferences edit Kettunen Harri Christophe Helmke 2005 Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphs PDF Wayeb and Leiden University p 32 Archived from the original on 17 June 2007 Retrieved 2022 11 13 a b Kettunen Harri Christophe Helmke 2005 Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphs PDF Wayeb and Leiden University p 16 Archived from the original on 17 June 2007 Retrieved 2022 11 13 John Tomasic and Steven Bozarth 2011 New Data from a Preclassic Tomb at Kʼo Guatemala Kansas academia edu Montgomery John Peter Mathews Christophe Helmke 2002 2007 Dictionary of Maya Hieroglyphs online version Maya Hieroglyphic writing Dictionaries Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies Inc FAMSI Archived from the original on 7 June 2007 Retrieved 2007 05 08 Osborne Deborah 1994 95 The History of the Transcription of the Mayan Languages PDF Amerindia Revue d Ethnolinguistique amerindienne 19 20 435 442 ISSN 0221 8852 Archived from the original PDF on 2006 11 19 Retrieved 2007 05 08 Thomas Cyrus 1897 Day Symbols of the Maya Year In J W Powell ed Sixteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1894 1895 Washington DC Bureau of American Ethnology Smithsonian Institution U S Government Printing Office pp 199 266 OCLC 14963920 via Project Gutenberg permanent dead link External links edit AJAW sound file and syllabic glyph example at John Montgomery s Dictionary of Maya Hieroglyphs published online at FAMSI Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ajaw amp oldid 1173434703, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
