With its spectacular setting on the mountainous edge of the Chiapas coastal plain in southern Mexico, its remarkable art and architecture, and its dramatic history, Palenque is for many the most beautiful and captivating of all the Maya cities. During the Classic Maya period (ca. A.D. 250-900) Palenque grew, prospered, and collapsed, leaving behind nearly a square mile of dramatic limestone ruins.
Father and son archaeologists George and David Stuart have written a book that tells the story of this wonderful place. We know a lot about Palenque because the inhabitants left behind numerous inscriptions that tell of kings and trade, families and gods, religion and wars.
George Stuart was the long-time staff archaeologist for the National Geographical Society and his son David, a leading epigrapher, has been an important figure in deciphering ancient Maya writing. Their love affair with Palenque began with a visit in 1968, when David as three, and it continued with the first Mesa Redonda Palenque conference in 1973, and many since.
The central figure in Palenque history is King Pakal, who ruled for some 68 years and died at the age of 80. He built the great palace and the Temple of the Inscriptions that contains his tomb with its unbelievable sarcophagus. Under Pakal’s leadership, Palenque became a powerful center with innovative art and architecture unmatched in the Maya world. Pakal’s son Kan Bahlam built on his father’s accomplishments, taking Palenque to its pinnacle of power and influence. But 100 years later, it collapsed.
The Stuarts relate all this history along with detailed descriptions of the major temples, tombs, and palaces. The latest archaeological research and translations of Maya writing are fully explained. The history of research at Palenque is another fascinating part of the story, particularly the discovery of Pakal’s magnificent tomb in the bowels of the Temple of the Inscriptions in 1952. Palenque contains 167 dramatic illustrations that bring the inscriptions and sculptures to life. It is the story of a great ancient city that should not be missed.
