Copan is an archeological site of the Maya civilization. Discovered in 1570, the Maya site of Copan is one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization. The site functioned as the political, civil, and religious center of the Copan Valley.
Discovered in 1570, the Maya site of Copan is one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization. The site functioned as the political, civil, and religious center of the Copan Valley. Copán Ruins are Mayan ruins, declared by UNESCO as Archaeological World Heritage Site in 1980.
The ruins were built about the 9th century BC. K’inich Yax K’uk Mo’ was the first of a line of 16 rulers and is credited with making Copan a major center. Many thousands of Maya descendants continue to live in the Copan river Valley in present-day Honduras. Deforestation, overpopulation, and extreme drought contributed to Copan’s decline and collapse.
The collapse of the great ancient city of Copan, Honduras, has been linked to deforestation using data from a pollen profile in a sediment core taken from a pond near the urban center.
Something remarkable about Copan is the high hieroglyphic staircase, measuring 20 meters long and 10 meters wide. The staircase consists of 63 steps and contains more than 1800 hieroglyphics, which together form the longest known Maya hieroglyphic text ever found. Another interesting finding is the ballcourt which was found in other Maya sites as well.
The Mesoamerican ballgame similar to basketball was named Pok-a-Tok and the Aztecs called the game Tlactli. Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Aztecs, the Mayans, and the Olmecs participated in this ball game similar to basketball. The Mayans referred to the game as Pok-a-tok and the Aztecs called the game Tlachtli. It was a sport with ritual associations played since at least 1650 BC by the pre-Columbian people of Ancient Mesoamerica.
The losers of this game were sacrificed, either by decapitation or removal of the heart. Maya human sacrifices were considered a sign of society’s decadence.
The famous Copan archeological site is full of mysteries. The ancient Mayans built the site at the peak of its glory during the eighth century. A group of archaeologists came across a modern-day mystery when they discovered statues shaped like jaguars and tikals, which were made with stone and stucco, at an ancient ceremonial site.
The Copan archeological site is located in the modern-day Honduras. The site contains 14 temples built around a central Mesoamerican ballcourt with surrounding buildings.
Further reading and suggested videos :
https://kids.kiddle.co/Cop%C3%A1n
Do you like this topic? Find out more!