Image Credit: Octavio Esparza; INAH

Old Hieroglyphs Reveal Name of Powerful Maya Queen

Archaeologists in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula have decoded the name of a previously unknown Maya queen from hieroglyphs carved into ancient stone. The queen, identified as Ix Ch'ak Ch'een, ruled the city of Cobá — the “city of choppy water” — in the sixth century AD, according to Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
Cobá was a major Maya urban center, featuring pyramids, stone roads, and elite houses. In 2024, archaeologists discovered an inscribed staircase known as the Foundation Rock, with 123 glyph panels. Though erosion made translation difficult, experts compared the text with 23 newly found stelae and matched references to Ix Ch'ak Ch'een.
The inscriptions mention her coronation and building projects, including a ball court constructed around December 8, 573 in the Maya calendar. She may have been politically influential, as her name is linked to Testigo Cielo, a ruler of the powerful Kaan kingdom known for its “snake kings.”
Female rulers were rare in the Maya world, with only a few dozen known compared to hundreds of kings. Yet during the Late Classic period (550–830), influential women such as the Red Queen of Palenque rose to power. The discovery of Ix Ch'ak Ch'een now expands that list and offers fresh insight into the dynastic and political history of Cobá.
Research continues on the Foundation Rock, which is already providing vital information about the rulers and events that shaped Maya civilization.

Published on: 24-10-2025

Source: Live Science