Lady K'abal Xook (Lady Xoc) on Lintel 25 from Yaxchilán
Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank
Lintel 25 from Yaxchilán: Lady Xook witnesses a Vision Serpent
The ancient Maya queen Lady K’abal Xook (Lady Xoc) of Yaxchilán appears on three of the most famous examples of Maya art (and Mesoamerican art!), including Lintel 25.
Lintel 25 showing Lady K'abal Xook and Vision Serpent
c. 723–26 CE, carved and painted limestone, from Structure 23, Yaxchilán, Chiapas, Mexico, 121 x 85.5 cm. The British Museum, London; photo © Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank
Lintel 25 shows Lady Xook experiencing a Vision Serpent after a bloodletting ritual. Married to Shield Jaguar (Itzamnaaj Bahlam III), Lady Xook is shown in an important role for ancient Maya women on this lintel, originally on Structure 23. This video is a detailed overview of the complex iconography on Lintel 25.
Video chapters
0:00 Introduction to Lady K’abal Xook (Lady Xoc) on Lintel 25
0:30 The Maya City-State of Yaxchilán
0:57 Lady Xook’s clothing and accouterments
1:50 The Snake-like Figure
3:05 Bloodletting and Maya Royal Women
3:42 Summoning a Vision Serpent
4:39 Visual Doubling
4:57 Polychromy and Maya Blue
5:39 Structure 23 and Its Lintels
6:18 Shield Jaguar, Structure 23, and Maya Rulership
7:35 Other Queens Adapt Lady Xook’s Appearance
Learn more
Learn about the ancient Maya.
Discover more about Lady Xook of Yaxchilan.
Find out more about Maya queens and women in art.
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Find more resources related to AP Art History.
