Pakal … A Mayan King and a God?

Perhaps Both

Pakal‘s Pose according to Traditionalists

K'inich Janaab' Pakal lived from March 603 AD to August 683 AD, he was a Mayan ruler and was responsible for the growth and expansion of the Maya city of Palenque located in modern day southern Mexico.  His name literally means “shield” in the Mayan language but he was routinely called “Pakal the Great” by the people he governed.  

During his long reign of 68 years, Mayan records indicate that he ascended to the throne at the tender age of 12; he was responsible for the construction or expansion of some of Palenque's most notable inscriptions and classic architecture that have been recovered in modern times.

His expansive construction project in the ancient city of Palenque included the famous Temple of the Inscriptions where he is said to be buried. His reign is noted for some of the most remarkable art in the Mayan empire. Simply to live to the age of 80 (remember, we're talking the 7th century not the 21^st) was a major feat in itself in those days.  So, to call Pakal’s mere existence a feat of superhuman proportions might not be much of a stretch.

In 1968, Erich von Däniken wrote the book, “Chariot of the Gods?”  In his book, Däniken suggests that extraterrestrial beings visited some of our world’s early civilizations (like the Maya) and provided them with the advanced technological information.

These civilizations in turn, considered the “visitors” to be Gods, and they were represented this in various artifacts. The scientific community generally regards Däniken’s theory and book as lacking scientific evidence. However it can be legitimately argued, that at least one of Däniken’s observations seemed to be more imaginative than the rest: the sarcophagus (casket) lid’s image of Pacal the Great that is within the Temple of the Inscriptions.

I’ll try to relate Däniken’s conclusions or observation which must literally be viewed ‘side-ways’ from views in the traditional sense.  Däniken believes Pakal’s otherworldly travels depicted on the lid of the sarcophagus are not only spiritual, but physical as well.

If the lid’s depiction is flipped 90 degrees (see above image) to the left, Pakal could be seated in what looks like a modern day aircraft: the ‘Earth Goddess’ who is thought by traditionalists to be swallowing him into the “under world” is transformed into some sort of a fuselage; his hands and feet appear to be bent in order to operate the vessel’s controls; and the swirled display at the very back may represent the vehicle’s exhaust flumes.

Mr. Erich von Däniken may just have a valid argument here.

Sources …                                                                              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%27inich_Janaab%27_Pakal              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ah_Mun.jpg                                 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/2/27/20110415035736%21Ah_Mun.jpg