Expanding the canon: Lady K'abel the Ix Kaloomte’ and the political narratives of classic Maya Queens

Abstract

AbstractWe consider how a feminist perspective permits appreciation for and reflection on the complex and often understated ways in which Classic‐era (∼CE 250‐80) royal Maya women contributed to processes of statecraft. Our work centers on archaeological and epigraphic evidence for the life of one important royal woman, Ix Kaloomte’ K'abel of Waka’ whose reign was one of the most influential of the Late Classic Period (∼CE 550‐800). In reviewing the lines of evidence which detail her political life as a ruler, we consider parallels with other important royal women of the period. We argue a feminist approach permits working beyond unacknowledged presentist biases to consider the ways in which these women actively crafted state politics alongside their male counterparts.