K'inich Yo'nal Ahk I

Monuments

Stelae

Kʼinich Yoʼnal Ahk I erected numerous stelae, many of which became veritable models for those constructed by other rulers of Piedras Negras.

Stela 26, dating from 628 AD, depicts the aforementioned war with Palenque. Stela 26 is aligned with Itzam Kʼan Ahk II's Stela 35, conveying "an image of continuity, repetition, and renewal over time and across generations." Stela 31, which dates from around 637 AD and depicts the war with Sak Tzʼiʼ, This stela was also extremely tall, at about meters in height, and featured an "expansion" platform that allowed for easier observation.

Both Stelae 26 and 31 feature another theme popular with Kʼinich Yoʼnal Ahk I: the "warrior king" motif. This design often depicts the king facing forward, wearing a large headdress featuring iconography of the "Teotihuacan War Serpent". Most of the pyramid was probably constructed following Kʼinich Yoʼnal Ahk I's death, likely under the supervision of Itzam Kʼan Ahk I, who eventually raised six stelae at its base.