For the Classic Maya, links between rulers, time and the heavens play a strong role in establishing and reworking the nature of kingship. Several seasons of excavation at a sector of El Zotz, Guatemala -- in a hilltop palace known as "El Diablo" -- reveal a building that touches on these themes at the dawn of a dynasty. This paper reports on the tomb housed in the temple, the complex stratigraphy of the overall building, and the richly modeled stuccos that adorn its facade. Presented by: Dr. Houston. March 22, 4 p.m. in Hale 230.