Also known as: Ah Kin, K'inich Ajaw, Sun-Faced Lord
sun
kingship
time
war
The Maya sun god with large square eyes and jaguar features. Kinich Ahau rules the daytime sky and transforms into the Jaguar God when traveling through the underworld at night.
Kinich Ahau embodies the blazing sun at its zenith. His large square eyes represent the sun's power, and his filed, T-shaped front teeth mark him as a god of royalty.
The Night Journey
Each evening, Kinich Ahau descends into Xibalba, becoming the Jaguar God of the Underworld. He battles the lords of death through the night, emerging victorious each dawn.
Divine Kingship
Maya kings claimed descent from or identification with Kinich Ahau. Solar imagery pervaded royal iconography, and kings performed rituals to ensure the sun's daily rebirth.
Origin Story
Kinich Ahau was placed in the sky during creation to provide light and mark the passage of time. Each night he dies and is reborn.
Both embody the sun and are associated with kingship
Primary Sources
Historical texts and references
“In Yucatan the sun-god was known as Kinich-ahau (Lord of the Face of the Sun). He was identified with the Fire-bird, or Arara, and was thus called Kinich-Kakmo.”
Worship & Cult
How Kinich Ahau was venerated in ancient times
Sacred Temples
•Sun-facing temples; Classic Maya sun kingship
Worship Practices
Sun-eyed lord. Kings wore him. Cult is dawn architecture and royal title more than a surviving parish name.
