CULTURE-HONDURAS: New Finds Put Ex-Mayan Capital on World Map

By Thelma Mejía Reprint | | Print |

Thelma Mejia

TEGUCIGALPA, Aug 25 1998 (IPS) - Copan, cradle of Mayan civilization in Honduras, has once again drawn international attention thanks to the discovery of bones dating back to 1000 BC along with a large ceremonial site presumably used by the Mayan elite.

In July, U.S. scientists from Harvard University led by William Fash discovered the remains of a body in the Copan Valley in western Honduras. The remains were found in a site known as Las Sepulturas (The Gravesite), one km south of the famous Copan ruins. They belong to the pre-classical period, between the year 2000 B.C. and 200 A.D., according to a report presented to the state-run Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History (IHAH).

IHAH anthropologist Carmen Fajardo said that until now, researchers of Mayan culture had focused on the classical period (200-900 A.D.) and the postclassical period (from 900 AD to the Spaniards’ arrival in the Americas in the late 15th Century.

“Who would have imagined that there was an organized society in Copan prior to the birth of Christ?” wondered Fajardo, predicting that the Mayan city “will continue to live and be present into the next century”.

The bones discovered by the U.S. scientists do not appear to be those of a member of the Mayan social elite, because no valuable jewels were in the tomb where the remains were found. They point to the likelihood that more remains can be found in Las Sepulturas, since the Maya often buried their dead in the floor of their homes, according to IHAH Director Olga Joya.

The Maya Indians, said to have invented the numeral one and the calendar, lived in an area measuring about 324,000 km2 in what is now southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. But it was in Copan, with its impressive monuments, that the developments in science, art and architecture are most evident, according to observers.

In the seventh century A.D., Copan grew in size and political power under the leadership of governor Humo Jaguar. It is considered one of the four biggest Mayan capitals of the classical period, together with Chichen Itza and Uxmal in Mexico, and Tikal in Guatemala.

The U.S. scientists also discovered a large ceremonial site in the area near the Amarillo River in Copan. The evaluation of the site, which was presumably used by the Mayan elite, will begin early next year.

Joya said all the evidence found has been sent to a laboratory to be examined, and Harvard University is preparing to send a commission of researchers to explore the entire Copan area.

“We believe there are archeological sites that have not yet been discovered and which contain valuable information that could help us better understand this ancient civilization, which surprises the world daily with its discoveries,” she said.

The Honduran authorities hope to explore the entire 80 sq.km- Copan Valley, which is surrounded by dense jungle and vegetation that give the visitor the feeling of being in a hidden city filled with mystery and enchantment.

The main historical landmark in the valley is the core of the ancient Mayan city – the Copan Ruins – which comprises 4,500 structures or mounds. The most interesting of these structures are a ball field and 1,250 blocks of hieroglyphics on a 64-step stairway, which describe the history of the 16 governors of the Mayan empire.