Editing Qʼuqʼumatz (section)

==Temple and priesthood at Qʼumarkaj==
[[File:Utatlan2.jpg|thumb|right|The ruins of Qʼumarkaj. The temple of Qʼuqʼumatz once stood between the Temple of Tohil (tower at middle left) and the Temple of Awilix (at back). The ballcourt is in the foreground.]]
In the Kʼicheʼ capital city [[Qʼumarkaj]] the temple of Qʼuqʼumatz consisted of a circular temple in honor of the deity together with a palace in honor of the Kawek lineage, the ruling dynasty of the city.<ref>{{harvnb|Coe|1999|p=190}}; {{harvnb|Kelly|1996|p=200}}.</ref> The only trace of the temple now is a circular impression in the surface of the city's main plaza.<ref name="carmac364"/> The temple was located directly between the temples to the important Kʼicheʼ deities Tohil and Awilix, slightly north of the central axis of the temple of Tohil and slightly south of the axis of the temple of Awilix, replicating the role of Qʼuqʼumatz as mediator between the two deities.<ref name="carm279A"/><ref>{{harvnb|Carmack|2001a|p=364}}.</ref> From the traces left in the plaza it is evident that the temple consisted of a circular wall measuring {{convert|6|m|ft}} across, running around a circular platform, with a {{convert|1|m|ft|adj=on}} wide circular passage between the two.<ref name="carmac364"/> The whole structure probably once supported a roof and there were small stone platforms on the east and west sides of the temple, each about {{convert|1|m|ft}} wide.<ref name="carmac364"/> The temple of Qʼuqʼumatz must have been completely dismantled very soon after the Spanish Conquest since it is not mentioned by any of the Colonial era visitors, and early drawings of the site show only vegetation where the temple once stood.<ref name="carmac364"/> The tradition of circular temples dedicated to the Feathered Serpent deity was an ancient one in the Mesoamerican cultural region.<ref name="Carmack 2001a, p.365"/>

The priests of Qʼuqʼumatz were drawn from an important lineage among the ruling Kaweq dynasty and this was likely to have been a source of power and prestige for the Kaweq.<ref>{{harvnb|Carmack|2001a|p=366}}.</ref> The priests were known as ''Aj Qʼuqʼumatz'', meaning "he of Qʼuqʼumatz".<ref>{{harvnb|Christenson|2007|p=254, n. 742}}.</ref>  The priests of Qʼuqʼumatz and of Tepeu, his partner in the Kʼicheʼ creation myth (the ''Aj Qʼuqʼumatz'' and the ''Tepew Yaki''), also served as stewards in Qʼumarkaj and were responsible for receiving and guarding any tribute payments and plunder that were returned to the city.<ref>{{harvnb|Carmack|2001a|pp=208, 311}}.</ref> Although Kʼicheʼ priests were generally of lower rank than secular officials, the priests of the Kaweq lineages were an exception, and this included the priests of Qʼuqʼumatz, Tepeu and Tohil.<ref>{{harvnb|Carmack|2001a|p=208}}.</ref>