Teʼ Kʼab Chaak Explained

Teʼ Kʼab Chaak
Ajaw
Succession:King of Caracol
Reign:331-349
Predecessor:None
Successor:K'ahk' Ujol K'inich I
(next known ruler)
Spouse:Lady Penis-head of Xultun
Death Place:Caracol
Religion:Maya religion

Teʼ Kʼab Chaak ("Tree Branch Rain God") was a Mayan king (ajaw) of Caracol in Belize. He was a founder of the Caracol dynasty.[1]

Two retrospective references to Teʼ Kʼab Chaak in Late Classic texts place him in the middle of the fourth century AD; that a king from this early era should continue to be talked about hundreds of years later suggests that he was the dynasty founder.[2]

Marc Zender cautions that the translation of Teʼ Kʼab Chaak's name as "Tree Branch Rain God" is unlikely, given that kʼabte (literally "arm (of) tree"), rather than teʼkʼab, would be the expected order of elements in Mayan for the meaning "tree branch".

Zender suggests a translation like "Tree-Armed Chaak" or "Trees are the Arms of Chaak".

Notes and References

  1. http://www.mesoweb.com/ Mesoweb
  2. Martin and Grube 2008:86