PAKAL THE GREAT

603-83

Pakal the Great, also known as K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, was the ajaw (ruler) of the city-state Palenque. Ascending the throne at just 12 years old, Pakal ruled for 68 years until his death in 683, making his reign the longest of any Maya ruler. His long reign saw political stability and military success that cemented the rise of Palenque as a major power, with extensive building projects greatly expanding the city. Pakal’s tomb was discovered at the Temple of Inscriptions in 1952, where the king was found buried inside an elaborate sarcophagus wearing a jade funerary mask and jewellery.