What did the Mayans do in Copan?

In the city of Copán, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ancient Maya replicated nature’s visible world through art. They built pyramids as symbols of mountains, plazas as lakes, and doorways as caves.

What is Maya Copan?

Copan is an ancient Maya city, located in modern-day western Honduras. It was ruled by a dynasty of 16 kings between roughly A.D. 426 and 820. The city was one of the most densely populated in the Maya world, and its people built great monuments and sculptures out of a greenish volcanic tuff.

What was most important to the Mayans?

The Maya were deeply religious, and worshiped various gods related to nature, including the gods of the sun, the moon, rain and corn. They were thought to serve as mediators between the gods and people on earth, and performed the elaborate religious ceremonies and rituals so important to the Maya culture.

Was Copan the largest Mayan city?

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….Copán.

Why is Copan so important?

Discovered in 1570 by Diego García de Palacio, the Maya site of Copan is one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization. It was also the political centre and cultural focus of a larger territory that covered the southeast portion of the Maya area and its periphery.

What is Copan known for?

For many years, Copán Ruins have been famous for its magnificent Mayan ruins, declared by UNESCO as Archaeological World Heritage Site in 1980. Today Copán Ruins is considered the Paris of the Mayan world in Central America.

Why was Jasaw Chan K Awiil important?

Jasaw Chan K’awiil was interested in art and architecture and was responsible for the building of such renowned temples as the Temple of the Great Jaguar. His tomb was found in this temple which is clear evidence of his love of these great structures as well as his deep religious beliefs.

What were lesser Mayan lords called?

Lesser lords were called the “batab” and military leaders were called the “nacom”. Because religion was an important part of the Maya life, the priests were powerful figures in the government as well. In some ways the king was considered a priest, too.

What are some major discoveries made at Copan?

In the spring of 1992, University Museum excavators of the ancient Maya city of Copan made the remarkable discovery of an intact noble burial chamber. The burial, located in the city’s Acropolis, may prove to belong to one of Copan’s ákings.

What happened Chichen Itza?

Long abandoned by the Spanish, and then by the newly formed country of Mexico, Chichen Itza became a significant architectural site in the mid-1800s. It remains so today. A number of important structures of the original city remain standing, some thanks to restoration efforts on the part of the Mexican government.

Why was Copan built?

Copan, the principal group and larger site, is a Mayan complex built for the high nobility. In contrast, the smaller one, Las Sepulturas, is a residential complex built for well-established residents of the Lenca indigenous group.

Why was Pakal the Great important?

Also known as Pacal (which means ‘shield’) and Pacal the Great, he is most famous for raising the city of Palenque (known as B’aakal) from relative obscurity to a great power, his building projects in the city (especially the Temple of the Inscriptions), and his elaborately carved sarcophagus lid which has been …