Pa'Chan

Pa’ Chan, known from its ruins as Yaxchilán, was a Maya royal city enclosed by a great bend of the Usumacinta River. Temples and palaces rose above the river, their carved lintels and monuments recording the deeds of a long line of rulers. During the Classic period the city competed with other kingdoms along the river, including Piedras Negras downstream. Its inscriptions preserve a detailed account of dynastic ceremonies, alliances and warfare.