Architecture, Vision, and Ritual: Seeing Maya Lintels at Yaxchilan Structure 23.

The lintels of Yaxchilan Structure 23 are among the most famous of all Maya monuments. Dedicated by Ix K'abal Xook in 726 CE, while her husband Itzamnaaj Bahlam III was the ruler of Yaxchilan, these sculptures are both a tour de force of carving and a powerful demonstration of ancient women's agency. Yet in their original context, the lintels were hard to see, raising questions about the nature and dynamics of Maya vision. It emerges that the lintels should be read as a cohesive program, guiding a performative engagement with the building at the moment of its dedication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]