Bonampak murals depict heir presentation and graphic warfare, with 2010 tomb discovery. Room 1 depicts a ceremony dated December 12, 790, in which Chan Muwaan II presents his young son to assembled nobles as his heir. Body language in Room 1 suggests competition for influence between the king's natal family and his Yaxchilan relatives by marriage. A dance performance in Room 1 is connected to Venus observations, timed to ensure the heir would become a great warrior.
Room 1 at Bonampak shows Chan Muwaan II presenting his son as heir on December 12, 790. Room 2 shifts dramatically to warfare, with over 100 figures battling in jaguar pelts, and captives stripped and tortured. A 2010 discovery beneath Room 2 revealed a 35–42-year-old male with rich grave goods.
Key Facts
- Room 1 depicts a ceremony dated December 12, 790, in which Chan Muwaan II presents his young son to assembled nobles as his heir.
- Body language in Room 1 suggests competition for influence between the king's natal family and his Yaxchilan relatives by marriage.
- A dance performance in Room 1 is connected to Venus observations, timed to ensure the heir would become a great warrior.
- Room 2 presents a dramatically different tone, with vivid depictions of warfare and violent treatment of captives.
- Room 2 murals show over 100 individual human figures engaged in battle and its aftermath, with warriors in jaguar pelts using long spears that perforate enemy bodies.
- Captives are shown stripped of clothing (symbolizing loss of identity) and subjected to torture including having their fingernails torn out.
- In 2010, a tomb was discovered beneath the floor of Room 2 containing the remains of an adult male aged 35–42 with rich grave goods; some objects suggest he may be one of the sacrifice victims depicted in the murals.
Related site: Bonampak — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: How the Murals of Bonampak Changed Maya History by World of Antiquity