Google Map To Copan Mayan Ruins.
Rectangular Area In Center Of Map Is Site Museum.

Google Map To Copan Mayan Museum In Town.
Square Building Center Of Map.

The "Old Man Of Copan" Welcomes Us To The Ruins! Elderly People were Highly Thought Of, God Like, Or "Pauhatun"

THE COPAN RUINS Beginnings: Known in ancient tims as "Xukpi." Copan was the special place of the Mayan world where art and astronomy flourished. There were larger Mayan cities to the north, in present-day Mexico and Guatemala, and the structures at Copan are relatively modest compared to those at Tikal and Palenque and Chichen-Itza. But there are more carved monuments at Copan then elsewhere, and the intricate, swirling, decorative art surpasses not only that of other Mayan cities, but of any other civilization in the Western Hemisphere before the arrival of Europeans. Copan might have been settled as early as 2000 B.C. The valley was fertile and well watered. Over time, harvests became more and more abundant, with the perfection of corn agriculture and of a calendar to guide planting. More organized societies developed in Copan and the neighboring areas among the people that are today called the Maya. Copan developed in much the same way as other Mayan cities. Simple thatched houses on foundations evolved into temples on substantial masonry platforms. Ironwood, or chicozapote, substituted for less sturdy materials in lintels. Relatively soft volcanic rock was dressed using harder rock, and later incised with obsidian tools. Household implements were made of wood and clay; as techniques improved, pottery became more complex, and beautiful, and was used for ceremonial purposes. Newer, more complicated, more beautiful buildings were erected right on top of older ones. The custom developed of memorializing rulers and royal families and recording history on buildings and monuments and in tombs. Great stones were rolled down from nearby mountains, carved with glyph figures representing names and numbers and events, and erected in the plazas as stelae. The Rise None of this happened in isolation. The Copan River, which flows into the Motagua, in present-day Guatemala, probably served as a link to other Mayan centers, and as a route for trade in cacao and obsidian, and there were probably roads as well. There are some artistic similarities between Copan and Quiriguri in Guatemala, which could have been reached by water, and the same language was used for writing throughout the Mayan area. The Classic Era at Copan spanned just a few hundred years, from 465 A.D., the first date inscribed on a monument, to 800 A.D. During this period of recorded history, construction and reconstruction and astronomical discoveries and artistic expression were most intense. Despite the general air of mystery that surrounds Copan, the names of some of its rulers are known, and some of its cultural history has even been uncovered: Smoke Jaguar lived to the ripe age of 82, and was succeeded by 18 Rabbit, who broke the tradition of destroying monuments with each change in rulers and using the rubble as fill in new structures? 18 Rabbit's successor, Squirrel, commemorated rulers of old whose monuments had been destroyed, and rebuilt the ball court. Other rulers have been identified as Leaf Jaguar, Smoke Monkey, and Dawn. After our guide from Clark Tours performs the appropriate border crossing proceedures, we cross the border from Guatemals into Honduras and are soon on our way to Copan. Take a good look at Stela B. This stela has a certain amount of controversy over what is on the stela. Look for the elephants. Could these people have known of elephants? In addition to the park, two museums contain more artifacts and information about the mayan civilization. One museum is housed at the archaeological site, the other in the town of Copan.

This Rope Protects The Border Crossing So Does The Alert Border Official! We Are In Guatemala Entering Honduras,	Of Course These Alert Guards Back Up The Border Defense! The Man In The Red Shirt Controlled The Rope!!
These Guys Are At The Entrance Into Copan Ruins They Are pretty And Well Fed!	Inscription Temple, Or AKA Temple 11
The Temple Represents Heaven, The Superworld (Earth) And The Underworld	Temple 11, "Tribune of the Spectators" Temple Part Of The West Plaza, Or Aquatic Area, BecauseTemples Are Adorned With Shells, Lilly Pads, Etc.
The "Storm God" The Body Under Water (The Underworld), Head Rising Above Water (Superworld) Window Above Represents Heaven	Stone In Front Of Temple 11
Copan Mayan Temple	Copan Mayan Ruins
The Jaguar Plaza Jaguar Tunnel Entrance On Right	The Jaguar Plaza
The Dancing Jaguar At Jaguar Plaza	Sun God Deity, "Kinichi Ahau", Surrounded By Signs Of Planet Venus At Jaguar Plaza, Venus Altar
Side And Top Of The Temple With The Hieroglyphic Stairway Under The Tarp	Side And Top Of The Temple With The Hieroglyphic Stairway Under The Tarp Ball Court In Background
East Plaza Detail	Hey George, It Is Hot! My Fan Doesn't Help!!!
It's A Little Cooler Over Here!	It's Better Right Here!!!! Ball Court In Background
The Trees Just Take Over	They Would Cover The Ruins In A Short Time
Ball Court	Ball Court
Stele H & Stone Head
Altars G1 & G2	This Was For Human Sacrifice Note Place For Blood To Flow
At Copan City Museum Altar Q Shows The 16 Kings Of Copan Passing Baton Of Rule Down Through The Generations	At Copan City Museum
Jade & Shells At Copan City Museum	Copan City Museum, In Town Not At The Park Worth The Visit
After Copan Ruins, We Relaxed At Our Hotel At Copán Ruinas	The Hotel Marina Copan At Copán Ruinas
Stela N	Stela N
Stela N	Stela N
Hieroglyphic Stairway, Finished In 743 AD. The 64 Steps Contain Rocks With 300 Years Of History Inscribed	Stairway Will Be Moved To Copán Museum To Protect It From Elements Started By King Smoke Shell Dedicated 749 CE Stele M
Stele C	Stele C
Altar For Human Sacrifice	Stela B
Stela B Do You See The Elepahants?	Stela B Some Say That These People Knew Of Elephants!
Stela B Look Again For Elephants! Some Archaeologists Say These Are Macaws You Be The Judge!	Copan City Museum Museum Display Of A Burial
Display, Copan City Museum	Display, Copan City Museum