Copán

 

Copán is an archaeological site of the Mayan civilization located in Copan the department of western Honduras, not far from the border with Guatemala. It was the capital city of a major Classic period  kingdom from the 5th to 9th centuries AD. The city was located in the extreme southeast of the Mesoamerican cultural region, on the frontier with the Isthmo- colombian cultural region, and was almost surrounded by non-Maya peolpe. In this fertile valley now lies a city of about 3000, a small airport, and a winding road.

Copán was occupied for more than two thousand years, from the Early preclassic period to the Postclassic. The city developed a distinctive sculptural style within the tradition of the lowland Maya, perhaps to emphasize the Maya ethnicity of the city's rulers.

The city has a historical record that spans the greater part of the Classic period and has been reconstructed in detail by archaeologists and epigraphers. Copán was a powerful city ruling a vast kingdom within the southern maya area. The city suffered a major political disaster in AD 738 when Uaxaclajunn Ub´aah Kawaiil, one of the greatest kings in Copán's dynastic history, was captured and executed by his former vassal, the king of Quirigua. This unexpected defeat resulted in a 17-year hiatus at the city, during which time Copán may have been subject to Quiriguá in a reversal of fortunes.

A significant portion of the eastern side of the acropolis has been eroded away by the Copan river, although the river has since been diverted in order to protect the site from further damage.

 

 

 

Location

 

 

 

Copán is located in western Honduras close to the border with Guatemala. Copán lies within the municipality of Copan ruinas  in the department of Copan. It is situated in a fertile valley among foothills at 700 meters (2,300 ft) above mean se level .The ruins of the site core of the city are located 1.6 kilometers (1 mi) from the modern village of Copan ruinas, which is built on the site of a major complex dating to the Classic period.

In the Preclassic period the floor of the Copán Valley was undulating, swampy and prone to seasonal flooding. In the Early Classic, the inhabitants flattened the valley floor and undertook construction projects to protect the architecture of the city from the effects of flooding.

Copán had a major influence on regional centres across western and central Honduras, stimulating the introduction of Mesoamerican characteristics to local elites.