The Palenque "astronaut"

The claim

"King Pakal's tomb lid shows an astronaut at the controls of a rocket."

Where the idea comes from

Erich von Däniken's "Chariots of the Gods?" (1968) shows the lid turned sideways and describes a pilot with his hands on controls.

What the evidence shows

1. The lid was carved to be seen upright. Viewed that way it shows King K'inich Janaab' Pakal falling into (or rising from) the jaws of the underworld at the base of the World Tree.
2. Every element, the cross-shaped World Tree, the celestial bird on top, the earth monster below, appears in other Maya carvings with no "spacecraft" interpretation.
3. The Maya inscriptions around the edge, which epigraphers can read, list Pakal's ancestors and dates. They say nothing about flight.

What is still open

Nothing material; the scene is well understood in Maya iconography.

Our verdict

Debunked It only looks like a rocket if you turn it sideways and ignore Maya art.

Sources

• Pre-Hispanic City of Palenque (UNESCO)
• K'inich Janaab Pakal (Wikipedia)

Checked 31 October 2026. Spotted a newer source? Tell us.