Lady K'atun Ajaw of Namaan

Lady K'atun Ajaw of Namaan (born July 5, 674 CE, 5 Kib 14 Yaxk’in in the Maya calendar), was the queen and consort of K'inich Yo'nal Ahk II, the ajaw (or king) of Piedras Negras, Maya city in Guatemala. Her image appears on stelae 1 and 3 of Piedras Negras. She is also referenced on a set of three conch shells from a royal burial at Piedras Negras, leading some to believe the burial contained her body.

Though scholars typically refer to her as Lady Kʼatun Ajaw, her name in ancient Ch'olan, the language of the hieroglyphs, was probably Ix Winik Haab' Ajaw.

Biography Coming from the city of Namaan (present-day La Florida), Lady K'atun Ajaw married K'inich Yo'nal Ahk in a five-day ceremony in 686 CE, when she was just 12 years old. In the midst of the wedding, K'inich Yo'nal Ahk's father died, leaving the son to inherit the throne. According to the conch shells, a woman named Lady Ah B’ikal? oversaw the wedding, serving as a mentor to the young girl. It is unclear if this woman was her mother or not.

In September 706, Lady K'atun Ajaw had a stela, Stela 1, dedicated in her name.

K'atun Ajaw had a daughter with Yo'nal Ahk, Lady Ju'ntan Ahk, who was born on March 19, 708 CE. On August 26, 711 CE, Lady K'atun Ajaw received a throne, possibly the same throne upon which she sits on Stela 3. This was also the 25th anniversary of Yo'nal Ahk's accession to the throne. The trio celebrated the closing of the 14th K'atun together on December 3, 711 CE.