·     AT-YT2021-lecture17.t0:03:40: Tok Tahn, literally “in the middle of the clouds”.

·     The earlier seat of government of the Baakel polity (in “historical” times), before it was moved to Lakam Ha’ = PAL.

·     M&G.p156.para2: The first ruler to occupy normal historical time and thus the founder of Palenque's Classic dynasty was K'uk' Bahlam I ['Quetzal Jaguar']. Combining the two great emblems of Maya royalty, his name glyph consists of the quetzal bird fixed with a jaguar's ear. He is consistently given the title 'Toktahn lord', a reference to an unknown location, presumably the original home of the dynasty.

·     Skidmore-RP.p6.pdfp6.para1: This ruler [K’uk’ Bahlam], whose name glyph combines the royal symbols of the quetzal (k’uk’) and the jaguar (bahlam), is considered the founder of the Palenque dynasty. Although other, earlier candidates for this role appear in the inscriptions of Palenque (a legendary figure called “Bloodletter of the Snake” [UKokan Chan] is said to have acceded in Olmec times), K’uk’ Bahlam is the first from a reasonably historical era corresponding to the foundation of other Classic Maya royal lines (Martin and Grube 2008:156). His “Toktahn Lord” title associates him with an unknown location that appears to have been the original seat of the dynasty (ibid.:156).

·     Martin-AMP.p130.para3.l+1: The same “settle, remain” verb [KAJ] appears at Palenque on a panel excavated from Temple XVII, where the third king of the dynasty Butz’aj Sak Chiik conducts such an event at lakamha’ together with his presumed younger brother, Ahkal Mo’ Nahb [I], in 490 (Martin and Grube 2000: 157; Stuart 2005a: 184, n.62; Stuart and Stuart 2008: 115–116) (Figure 22b). This is the earliest mention of the site we now call Palenque, with all previous activities performed by historical kings occurring at a place called toktahn (Stuart and Houston 1994: 30–31). First referenced in 435 and active in domestic affairs up to 496, Toktahn was an earlier base for the dynasty, made explicit in an important retrospective text that ascribes the emblem glyph k’uhul toktahn ajaw to the first and second Palenque monarchs (Bernal 2009: 123–126).

·     This is in fact probably within the wider PAL area – just another cluster of buildings within the same toponym:

o Gronemeyer-LoTiMHW.p97.fn16: In Palenque, two major toponyms are recorded: tok tahn and lakam ha’ (cf. Stuart & Houston 1994: 30-31). Th­e former is related to the Early Classic (Martin & Grube 2000: 157) and possibly relates to the complexes south-west of the Cross Group, entrenched between the hill ridges and where mist often forms at dawn. It is also the location of the spring of the Otulum, which is also referred to in writing (TAN^na CH’EN^na LAKAM-HA’ < ta[h]n ch’en lakam ha’, ‘amidst the well of Lakam Ha’’, PAL T19B-S, O7-O8). ­The usual lakam ha’ toponym referring to Palenque is thus probably more the central plaza with the palace acropolis as the administrative heart of the site, located along the course of the Otolum. Specifically, we have a ‘shell-tun’ event at lakam ha’ by Butz’aj Sak Chik (PAL T17P, B5-B6) that may relate to the foundation of the palace complex, also a pat-l-aj event for lakam ha’ noted on PAL TFCJ, B12. Interestingly, lakam ha’ is also never used as a demonym (Bíró 2011: 40) except on BPK Lnt. 4, B1.

o Erika Raven (personal communication 2022-07-18): Toktahn would have been an old part of Palenque itself (from the Preclassic Period), maybe the Picota Group or some other ancient settlement.

o Information on Toktahn and Lakam Ha’ is also available in Stuart&Houston-CMPN.p30-33.pdfp35-38.

·     Sim summary: only from the third ruler onwards were the rulers of the Baakel polity associated with Lakam Ha’ (the toponym of what is today called Palenque). Before that – i.e. for Ruler 1 (K’uk’ Bahlam) and Ruler 2 (“Casper”) – were associated with Toktahn (an apparent toponym of currently unknown location, perhaps the original seat of the dynasty – could it also be a mythical place?).