On this lintel from above a door, Bird Jaguar IV, king of the Maya city of Yaxchilán, displays his power and status by looming over his captive and dominating the scene. The captive shrinks into the corner holding a broken parasol, a symbol of a defeated warrior. The lintel alludes to bloodletting and sacrificial rituals as well as the demonstration and reinforcement of status and rank.
Yaxchilán, Mexico
AD 755 – 770
Maya
limestone
height: 78.8 cm
width: 76.2 cm
depth: 7 cm
British Museum
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