Copan, history carved in stone.

Macaws at the entrance to Copan.

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We walked the 1km to the Copan ruins archaeological site. this site is unlike the others we have seen this far in that the stelae are very well preserved.

We were met at the entrance by resplendent coloured macaws basking in the morning sun. They seemed to enjoy performing to the visitors as they entered the site, and Barbara burned through about 100 photos even before she had entered the park. Good job it's digital or it would cost us a small fortune.

UNESCO declared Copan a World Heritage Site in 1980 and then in 1982 Honduras declared it a National Monument.

Copan occupies the premier position among Maya sites as far as quantity of stone structures is concerned including stelae and altars. It also has the privilege of being home to the longest inscribed text in the New World, the famous hieroglyphic stairway of Structure 10L-26. The stairway has more than 1250 glyph blocks in its inscription, is a historical narrative which highlights the feats of the ancestors of Smoke Shell, the 15th rule of Copan. King 18 Rabbit was the 13th ruler and features on many of the stelae at this site.

Stela showing King 18 Rabbit, 13th ruler of Copan.

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Some of the evens narrated in the text inscribed on the Stairway record battles and conquests of the rulers.

Archaeological investigations indicate that during its final decades the city of Copan saw an unprecedented demographic growth. This brought with it intensification of the agricultural system which in turn led to a spiralling rate of environmental degradation. The expanding population spread to areas that were not apt for settlement and mass deforestation followed due to the need for firewood, lighting and building materials.

Climatic change followed with intense drought and disastrous floods. There is evidence of malnutrition and infectious diseases and life expectancy decreased so that even children aged 5-15 were dying. The monarchical government collapsed and the people began to desert the area but it may have taken another two centuries before the valley was completed abandoned.

Glyphs from the Hieroglyphic Stairway.

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You should allow a half day to appreciate the site fully as the original stelae and the few reproductions are extremely intricate and well preserved. Some even have traces of the original colour still visible today.

When we were there the area where most of the stelae are was teeming with small midges at ankle level, and Dave did not apply his mosquito repellant, so his legs from the knees to his boots show the scars of the midge rampage -comparable with the destruction Scottish midges can cause!

Even though it is high season, the site was very quiet with only a handful of people strolling around. Apparently there are about 200,000 visitors to this site every year.

Footnote: We tried to write this entry in the evening after returning from the site, however there were two power cuts in quick succession, the internet went down so we went to bed.