Description

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The frieze of Structure 1-A Sub of Balamku, Campeche, is one of the most complex Maya artistic expressions of the Classic period (250-900 AD), focused on the exaltation of the sacred rulers. For an integral understanding of this monument it is necessary to go beyond approaches from iconography and art history. Instead, a broader and detailed study is needed of the immediate architectural context, which could have had an impact on the meaning of the monument; the surrounding built environment as a space of communication or reception; and the possible social circumstances behind its construction and its peculiarities. Archaeological investigations in Balamku have been highly prolific and have yielded abundant data that allow a comprehensive approach of this type. This study is not limited to dissecting the image of the frieze and isolating it from its environment, although, of course, it is based on a detailed analysis of the scene, its places, and characters. The themes represented are also identified and analyzed, and the visual discourse is contextualized in a specific moment of the social and political evolution of the site, a moment in which the community faced a critical dynastic change with the consequent transfer of the seat of power. In this historical framework, the monument may be better understood, and the significance of its message is drawn out. This integral vision allows us to comprehend its ability to create and materialize a meaningful place within the built environment of Balamku.