Estudio arqueológico y epigráfico del Altar 10 de El Palmar, Campeche, México: un monumento maya del periodo Clásico Temprano

This paper examines the sociopolitical implication of Altar 10, a monolithic monument located at the archaeological site of El Palmar, Campeche. Altar 10 was erected in A.D. 554 and consists of a long hieroglyphic text with an intricate set of iconographic elements. Epigraphic and archaeological analyses revealed royal titles carved on the monument that shed light on the study of elite offices and titles in Early Classic Maya society. We discuss the early history of Maya rulership, the political implication of erecting monoliths in early times, and the characteristics of dedicatory offerings associated with them. Comparative analyses with inscriptions from other sites revealed interregional geopolitical interactions with several polities. We concluded that El Palmar was a major player in the Classic Maya geopolitical landscape.