1,500 year old Mayan altar depicts Game of Thrones-like power struggle

As we await Game of Thrones’ eighth and final season, spoilers might have just arrived from the unlikeliest source. Not really, but it’s fun to pretend. A recently discovered Mayan altar in northern Guatemala, over 1500 years old, is engraved with the “Kaanul dynasty’s political strategies aimed at bringing entire cities under its control” according to a report from Phys.Org. 

Weighing in at over one ton and carved from limestone, the altar depicts, among other things, La Corona monarch King Chak Took Ich’aak, ” sitting and holding a scepter from which emerge two patron gods of the city,” says co-director of excavations and investigations, Tomas Barrientos. That sounds a lot cooler than the Driftwood Crown. Sorry, Euron.

King Chak Took Ich’aak also ruled the nearby city of El Peru-Waka, forming the basis for the Kaanul dynasty, or “Serpent Kingdom.” Which sounds way more awesome than The North or the Riverlands. The Kaanul Dynasty lasted for two centuries after the Serpent Kingdom defeated their rivals the Tikal. How did that victory come about?

The Kaanul formed political alliances with cities surrounding the Tikal, including using royal marriages to bind allies to the cause. Tywin Lannister approves. Barrientos sounded enthused, saying: “This altar shows us a part of Guatemala’s history and in this case, around 1,500 years ago, I would call this the historical Mayan version of Game of Thrones.”

Sadly, the Serpent Kingdom was eventually defeated by you guessed it, their old rivals the Tikal. Still, Barrientos could barely contain his excitement. “Having information about what happened next, how they were plotting a political strategy here, teaches us a lot about politics in those times and the fight for territory.”

The real question though, is who ended up on the throne in ancient La Corona? If the Mayan’s saga plays out like the Seven Kingdoms, that’d be nice to know before season 8.

To stay up to date on everything Game of Thrones, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Watch Game of Thrones or Succession for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels