Pomona, Tabasco
Pomona is a Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Tabasco, municipality of Tenosique, about 30 miles (50 km) east of Palenque. Its flowering was in the Late Classic period.
Site
[edit]Pomona is a dispersed settlement built in a fertile, hilly region and belonging to the Usumacinta river sites. It was discovered in 1959 and has been investigated, albeit only very partially, between 1986 and 1988. It consists of a total of six archaeological complexes, only the northernmost one of which, a quadrangular plaza with 13 buildings, has been explored.
History
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Maya_Relief_Museum_Rietberg_RMA_308.jpg/250px-Maya_Relief_Museum_Rietberg_RMA_308.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Pomona_Tablero1%2B.jpg/250px-Pomona_Tablero1%2B.jpg)
There are texts at Pomona referring to dates as early as 297 CE, but little more is known from this time period.[1] In 659 CE, Palenque captured six lords in battle. One was said to be from Pipa', a location associated with the site of Pomona. Another Pipa' lord was said to have died in 663.[2] A king of Pomona rose to the throne under the supervision of K'inich Kan Bahlam III of Palenque in 751 CE.[3] In March 792 CE, Piedras Negras attacked Pomona and took prisoners (depicted on Piedras Negras stela 12); the same happened two years later. The defeated king at Pomona was named Kuch' Bahlam.[4]
Artistic legacy
[edit]Pomona is renowned for the delicacy and beauty of its relief sculpture, which shows similarities with that of Jonuta and Palenque. Panel 1 (Fig. 3) shows two of originally four young princes wearing the aquatic attributes of the Bacabs and holding Year Bearer days in their hands.[5]
References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- David Stuart, New Year Recordings in Classic Maya Inscriptions, pp. 3–4. PARI Online Publications.
- Martin, Simon; Nikolai Grube (2000). Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya. London and New York: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05103-8. OCLC 47358325.