OTHER MONUMENTS IN THE COPÁN RUINS

The ruins of Copán are made up of a number of other complexes that should not be missed during your visit.

GRAN PLAZA - PLAZA DE LOS MONUMENTOS

This Great Plaza, which provides access to the site, comprises the small temple 4 with its 4 staircases, and a stelae garden. The square lies to the north of the Jeu de Balle, the Escalier aux Hiéroglyphes and the Acropolis. According to archaeologists, this space served as a meeting place for the people, who came here to listen to the king, take part in various public ceremonies and even, on occasion, organize ball games.

Most of the stelae seen in the northern part of the Grande Place were erected during the reign of Eighteen Rabbits. Many of these steles have the same structure: on one side, the figure of the king, on the other, a series of glyphs indicating the date of creation of the stone monument and the occasion for which it was erected. Note that some retain traces of the brightly coloured pigments with which they were painted. Some archaeologists believe that the order in which the nine stelae are distributed has a precise meaning: they were placed in this way following a symbolic order. Indeed, when they were discovered, most of the monuments had fallen to the ground, tilted or buried. Careful study of the foundations enabled them to be reinstalled in their original positions. Each stela rests on a cruciform base that was used to house religious offerings: pottery shards, bird bones and fish bones have been found at the foot of the stelae.

Other stelae can be found in the Río Copán valley. The majority were built by Butz Hunab K'awil, the twelfth king of the dynasty, also known as Smoke Imix God K. It is assumed that they served as a support for the celestial vault and as a gateway to the underworld (Xibalba).

JUEGO DE PELOTA

From the very beginning of the pre-Classical period, the ball game has been a reference in every Mayan city. Studies show that Copán's is one of the largest in Central America, measuring 29 m long and 7 m wide. It is thought that the various rules governing the game may have varied from one city to another. In Copán, the game consisted in keeping a heavy rubber ball in perpetual motion, bouncing it off the sides of the field with elbows and legs. The aim was to reach the center of the field to score points, with the ball never touching the ground. It was a violent and religious game, and some players would lose their lives. In Copán, the losers were used as offerings to the gods (or the winners, depending on who interpreted the symbols). In the site's museum, you can see the markers used to delimit the field lines.

ESCALINATA DE LOS JEROGLÍFICOS

The Hieroglyphic Staircase was discovered at the end of the ^19th century, revealing over 1,250 pieces with mysterious inscriptions. It wasn't until the ^mid-20th century that researcher Gustav Stomski put it "back in order", as we see it today. The staircase has been covered since 1985 to prevent erosion, which could cause the hieroglyphs to disappear or be erased. Only thirty pieces (the first ten steps) had retained their original position, and it is thought that Stomski's order was not the correct one, since the 2,500 glyphs are still indecipherable. This monument, 10 m wide and 21 m high, is considered the most remarkable of the classical period. Its sixty-three steps tell the story of the ancestors of the fifteenth king of the Copán dynasty, Humo Caracol. The banisters on either side are decorated with snakes and fantastical birds representing sacred monsters that are part of the Mayan imagination. Today, it is estimated that 75% of the hieroglyphs have been deciphered, although a great deal of research is still required to understand their full meaning.
It is also interesting to note that Honduras has asked the United States to return the sculpture of Copán's king, Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil, who ruled the city-state from 695 to 737: it was part of the staircase, and has been in the possession of Harvard University for many years.

ÁREA RESIDENCIAL NÚÑEZ CHINCHILIA

This residential complex comprises two patios. 23 structures have been discovered, along with 145 burials. In one of these, the skeletal remains of a child were found, along with a terracotta flute and various objects suggesting that he was certainly related to the royal family. Objects were also found in other tombs.

We can also add the LAS SEPULTURAS site, entrance to which is included in the price of the ticket to the Copán ruins: located 3 km from the site, the remains of what would have been a residential quarter of the Maya nobility have been found here. It comprises some forty housing complexes, only twenty of which have been explored to date.

Here, we can observe the relationship between different social classes and architecture. Groups with complete stone architecture belonged to the highest social classes. They were therefore better preserved than those of the lower classes.