 = Ha ' K 'in Xook = 
 
 Ha ' K 'in Xook ( Mayan pronunciation : [ haʔ k ’ in ʃoːk ] ) , also known as Ruler 6 , was an ajaw of Piedras Negras , an ancient Maya settlement in Guatemala . He ruled during the Late Classic Period , from 767 – 780 AD . Ha ' K 'in Xook was a son of Itzam K 'an Ahk II , and he ascended the throne upon the death of his brother , Yo 'nal Ahk III . Ha ' K 'in Xook 's reign seems to have ended either with his death or his abdication in favor of his brother K 'inich Yat Ahk II ; archaeologists and Mayanists have not come to a clear consensus on this . Ha ' K 'in Xook left behind several monuments , including stelae at Piedras Negras and a stone fragment from El Porvenir . In addition , a stone seat known as Throne 1 which was erected by K 'inich Yat Ahk II , records either the death or abdication of Ha ' K 'in Xook . 
 
 = = Biography = = 
 
 
 = = = Reign of Piedras Negras = = = 
 
 Ha ' K 'in Xook , who has also been referred to as Ruler 6 , was likely the son of Itzam K 'an Ahk II , based on a translation of Stela 23 . According to both Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube , as well as Johnson , Ha ' K 'in Xook 's name translates to " Water Sun Shark " . Of note , his name does not feature a turtle glyph , a feature found in all the previous rulers of Piedras Negras , as well as his successor . He ascended the throne on February 14 , 767 AD ( 9 @.@ 16 @.@ 16 @.@ 0 @.@ 4 , 7 K 'an 17 Pop in the Long Count ) , following the death of his brother Yo 'nal Ahk III . Ha ' K 'in Xook 's kingship of Piedras Negras had originally been overlooked by Tatiana Proskouriakoff , who instead assigned the title Ruler 6 to a misidentified sajal — or Maya leader — of La Mar. 
 Not much is known about the rule of Ha ' K 'in Xook ; his reign , along with that of Yo 'nal Ahk III , has been referred to as " shadowy " by Flora Clancy , and James L. Fitzsimmons argues that Ha ' K 'in Xook seems to have been a weaker ruler when compared to the reign of Itzam K 'an Ahk II because Ha ' K 'in Xook erected few monuments , and he did not reinforce his power on a larger scale , choosing only to do so at local polities . The only notable recorded event that has been preserved during the life of Ha ' K 'in Xook is of an incident that took place at El Cayo , most likely related to the burial of a contemporary sajal . According to Zachary Nathan Nelson , the reign of Ha ' K 'in Xook seems to have been relatively free from war , as none of his extant stelae show representation of captives , and known records do not indicate any sort of " bellicose action " in the region during his reign . 
 
 = = = Death or abdication = = = 
 
 Ha ' K 'in Xook yielded the throne on March 24 , 780 AD ( 9 @.@ 17 @.@ 9 @.@ 5 @.@ 11 10 Chuwen 19 Sip ) . The reason why his reign came to an end has been a topic of debate . Some believe that his reign ended with his abdication . Throne 1 , when translated , notes that he " abandoned / transferred rulership " , which American Mayanist Stephen D. Houston interprets to mean that he abdicated in favor of his brother , K 'inich Yat Ahk II . Mayanist David Stuart also noted that the wording on the throne " implies a more active event on the ruler 's part " , but that " ' lose ' might be more neutral as far as an interpretation goes . " 
 However , the exact phrase on the monument is yaktaaj ajawlel , which is the same wording that was used when the " burden " of leadership passed from K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat , the k 'ul ahaw of Quiriguá , to his successor Sky Xul during his burial ten days after his demise in 785 AD . As such , this may suggest that , rather than abdicating , Ha ' K 'in Xook died in 780 AD , and his successor , K 'inich Yat Ahk II , took up rule later . The deciphered glyphs on Throne 1 note that K 'inich Yat Ahk II later " remembered " Ha ' K 'in Xook at the Paw Stone Place in some way , and that the new king may have possibly wept at the memory of Ha ' K 'in Xook , according to anthropologist Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos . 
 Regardless , K 'inich Yat Ahk II took up the throne on May 31 , 781 AD ( 9 @.@ 17 @.@ 10 @.@ 9 @.@ 4 1 K 'an 7 Yaxk 'in ) , almost a year following the end of Ha ' K 'in Xook 's reign . Despite this lengthy gap , there appears to be no evidence of anyone ruling Piedras Negras between the two kings . 
 
 = = Monuments = = 
 
 
 = = = Stelae = = = 
 
 Several stelae have been found that were erected by Ha ' K 'in Xook , including Stelae 13 , 18 , and 23 . Stela 13 would appear to be the earliest , showing the oldest dedicatory date assigned to Ha 'K'in Xook , and it " captures the essence of the period @-@ ending celebration . " This 2 @.@ 39 @-@ metre ( 7 @.@ 8 ft ) tall stela retains stylistic elements of other niche stelae , but also shows a different form . It depicts the king scattering incense , similar to iconography found on Piedras Negras Stelae 2 and 32 . Clancy has argued that the stela contains iconography pertaining to three motifs : divination , " the quest " , and accession . Divination is shown via the act of Ha ' K 'in Xook scattering the incense . This motif had been introduced earlier in the iconography of Piedras Negras by K 'inich Yo 'nal Ahk II . The stela also features Ha ' K 'in Xook wearing a unique headdress ; it is depicted as being composed of three knots and forehead scrolls , a projecting Water Lily Jaguar , and a flexible rectangular emblem made from a jaguar pelt and a thick net . It has been postulated that this headdress was inspired by the headdress worn by an enthroned figure from the underworld featured on Stela 5 . Clancy argues that this headdress is a representation of " the royal theme of quest " , due to its iconographic similarity to other stelae at Piedras Negras . In addition , Stela 13 remains Ha ' K 'in Xook 's only extant image . 
 Not much remains of Stela 18 , and what is left is badly worn . However , archaeologist Sylvanus Morley claimed that it expressed a Calendar Round date of 6 Ahaw 13 K 'ayab ( corresponding to a Long Count date of 9 @.@ 17 @.@ 5 @.@ 0 @.@ 0 or Dec. 27 , 775 ) , which Martin and Grube note is within Ha ' K 'in Xook 's reign . Stela 23 is the king 's accession monument . Originally carved on all four faces , this stela is in poor condition because it tipped over and shattered . The largest portions remaining include the base , and remnants of a basal panel of glyphs that feature the feet of two individuals . Similar to Stela 18 , Martin and Grube argue that Stela 23 dates to the rulership of Ha ' K 'in Xook because the Calendar Round date on the monument is contemporary with the date found on Stela 13 . This stele details a puluuy utz 'itil ceremony for Ha ' K 'in Xook 's dead father , Itzam K 'an Ahk II , and , when translated , reads " Ruler 6 [ Ha ' K 'in Xook ] , child of Ruler 4 [ Itzam K 'an Ahk II ] … acceded to the rulership " , seemingly proving that Ha ' K 'in Xook was indeed the offspring of Itzam K 'an Ahk II . 
 All three of the stelae were discovered by Teoberto Maler in 1901 near one of the site 's main temple , the O @-@ 13 pyramid . Stela 13 was possibly erected on a terrace reached by the pyramid 's main stairway , and Stela 18 lies in a row on the plaza in front of the aforementioned stairway . Stela 23 , on the other hand , was erected at the very base of the pyramid . This pyramid was most likely the burial place for Itzam K 'an Ahk II , and — seeing as how Ha ' K 'in Xook , Yo 'nal Ahk III , and K 'inich Yat Ahk II all revered the site as a dynastic shrine — it is further evidence to back the argument that Ha ' K 'in Xook was the son of Itzam K 'an Ahk II . 
 
 = = = Other = = = 
 
 As mentioned before , Throne 1 details either the death or abdication of Ha ' K 'in Xook . However , it should be noted that the throne was not constructed by the king himself , but rather by his successor , K 'inich Yat Ahk II . The throne was later deliberately broken apart by Piedras Negras 's enemies , but has since been reconstructed . In addition to on @-@ site remains and relics , a fragment of stone found at El Porvenir and aptly called the " El Porvenir Fragment " was also discovered that bore the name of Ha ' K 'in Xook . 
 
 