K'AN JOY CHITAM I
| The fifth ruler of Palenque did not take the throne until four years after the death of his predecessor. We know that Ahkal Mo' Nahb' I died in December of 524, while K'an Joy Chitam did not accede until February 25, 529. This interregnum is long by Palenque standards - usually the time differential between one king's death and the next king's accession is a matter of months. It was not because Palenque was waiting for K'an Joy Chitam to come of age, since he was already 34 when he acceded. The biography of K'an Joy Chitam I is also significant for the fact that he lived to be almost seventy-five, a ripe old age by Precolumbian standards. |
| Note: K'an Joy Chitam was previously referred to as K'an Hoy Chitam, the "H" in Hoy clueing the pronunciation for English speakers, who may be excused for injecting a little too much "joy" into the current spelling of this ruler's name. The hieroglyphics experts are trying to arrive at a consistent spelling system in order to minimize confusion in the long run. The advantage of representing the Spanish "jota" or j-sound in the place of English h is that it is a better guide to how the given word was actually pronounced by the ancient Maya. When authentically spoken, the "Joy" in K'an Joy Chitam starts with a raspy velar sound, being produced in the back of the mouth on the velum, or soft palatte. |