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Panel fragment
Not on view
This warrior, armed with a shield and spear, wears a headdress featuring a centipede head with long, curved fangs. Although his name is unknown, the figure’s royal identity is confirmed by a beaded diadem on his forehead. Marks on his forearms normally present in portraits of the Sun God—k’in signs for "sun" or "day"—suggest he is impersonating the solar deity. The angular serpent- head element that passes through his nose indicates the Sun God’s fiery breath. The Sun God was regarded as a warrior, whose rays were comparable to fighters’ darts and the painful sting of centipedes.
Fragmento de tablero
Región de Palenque, Chiapas, México
Siglo VII al VIII
Piedra
Este guerrero, armado con un escudo y una lanza, porta un tocado que muestra la cabeza de un ciempiés con colmillos largos y curvos. Aunque se desconoce su nombre, la diadema con cuentas que lleva en la frente revela su identidad real. Las marcas en sus antebrazos, comunes en las representaciones del dios del sol –signos k’in para el "sol" o "día"–, sugieren que está personificando a la deidad solar. El elemento angular con cabeza de serpiente que atraviesa su nariz representa el aliento ardiente de este dios, considerado un guerrero cuyos rayos eran equiparables a los dardos de un enemigo o al doloroso piquete del ciempiés.
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