Teʼ Kʼab Chaak facts for kids

Teʼ Kʼab Chaak was an important ancient Maya king, also known as an ajaw. He ruled the city of Caracol, which is in modern-day Belize. He is famous for starting the royal family, or dynasty, of Caracol.

A Powerful Maya King

Teʼ Kʼab Chaak was a very early ruler of Caracol. He began the line of kings who would lead Caracol for many years. Starting a dynasty means that his family continued to rule the city after him. This made him a very important figure in Caracol's history.

Why Was He Important?

Even hundreds of years after he lived, people were still talking about Teʼ Kʼab Chaak. Later Maya writings, from a time called the Late Classic period, mention him. These old records show that he lived around the middle of the 300s AD. The fact that he was remembered for so long suggests he was truly the founder of Caracol's powerful royal family.

What Does His Name Mean?

The name Teʼ Kʼab Chaak is interesting. It is often translated as "Tree Branch Rain God." However, experts like Marc Zender think this might not be quite right.

Zender explains that in Maya, the words for "tree branch" would usually be in a different order. He suggests that Teʼ Kʼab Chaak's name might mean something like "Tree-Armed Chaak." Another idea is "Trees are the Arms of Chaak." Chaak was a very important Maya god of rain and lightning.