Spearthrower Owl facts for kids
Spearthrower Owl was an important leader from an ancient city called Teotihuacán in Mesoamerica. He lived a long time ago, in the 4th and 5th centuries. Experts believe he was a powerful ruler who helped Teotihuacan become very influential across a large area. He might have even been involved in taking over the famous Maya city of Tikal in the year 378 CE.
What's in a Name?
The name "Spearthrower Owl" was created by archaeologists, who are like history detectives. They used this name to describe a special symbol from Teotihuacan. This symbol shows an owl holding a spear. It was often used in Maya writing to represent his name.
One version of his name symbol shows a weapon, like a spear-thrower (called an atlatl), combined with an owl sign. In the city of Tikal, his name was sometimes written using sounds. This suggests the Maya version of his name was Jatz'om Kuy. This means "striker owl" or "owl that will strike." So, the symbol with the weapon and owl probably stands for these words.
Symbols showing an owl and a spear-thrower are found in Teotihuacan and in Maya cities like Tikal, Uaxactun, Yaxchilan, and Toniná. These symbols might refer to the same person, or they could have other meanings.
Life and Influence
Ancient Maya writings at several sites talk about people arriving from the west. These newcomers wore clothes in the style of Teotihuacan and carried weapons. Their arrival was linked to big changes in who was in charge at these cities.
A historian named David Stuart noticed that a monument at Tikal records Spearthrower Owl becoming a ruler on May 4, 374 CE. It doesn't say which city he ruled at that time.
Monuments at El Perú, Tikal, and Uaxactun describe the arrival of a person named Siyaj K'ak' in January 378. This arrival happened under the direction of Spearthrower Owl. The exact day Siyaj K'ak' arrived in Tikal was the same day the Tikal ruler, Chak Tok Ich'aak I, died.
Tikal Stela 31 is a large stone monument. It explains that in 379, a year after Siyaj K'ak' came to Tikal, Yax Nuun Ayiin became the new king of Tikal. Yax Nuun Ayiin was described as Spearthrower Owl's son, not the son of the previous ruler. During Yax Nuun Ayiin's rule, art and symbols from Teotihuacan started appearing in Tikal. Stela 31 was put up during the rule of Yax Nuun Ayiin's son, Siyaj Chan K'awil. It also tells us that Spearthrower Owl, the grandfather, died in 439 CE.
Spearthrower Owl was still remembered in later writings. For example, on a door lintel in Temple I, the Tikal ruler Jasaw Chan K'awiil I celebrated the 13th anniversary of Spearthrower Owl's death in 695 CE. He did this by "conjuring the holy one," which means performing a ritual to honor him.
See also
In Spanish: Átlatl Cauac para niños
