The crown jewels of Mayan civilization are Tikal, Chichen Itza, Palenque, Uxmal, and Copan and now we have visited all of them. Like the others Copan was occupied from around 1400 BC until 600 AD and then declined. It lacks the towering pyramids and encroaching jungles of Tikal but it is known for its intricate carvings. Even more impressive are the ruins beneath the ruins and the stelae which when translated, provided a record of the dynasties from century to century. In 1989 archeologists dug two excavation tunnels beneath the visible structures and discovered intact stucco covered temples built centuries before.
The nearby museum contains a replica of the Rosalila Temple as it would have appeared. It also houses many of the stelae from the Grand Plaza where replicas have replaced the originals. Moving them into the protected museum is the only way to preserve them for future generations.
We were the first visitors into the site today and had it pretty much to ourselves for most of the morning. After we finished exploring the ruins we spent an hour birding on the nature trail. The signage along the trail told how the ancient Mayans utilized the materials from the forest. But in the end over-population resulted in deforestation. The temperature of the valley increased and the drought it caused eventually led to the demise of the Mayans. It is a good lesson for us today.
After lunch we exchanged the highlights and horrors of travel with Brian and Mary from Montreal. They are riding their BMW motorcycle to Tierra del Fuego as part of a sponsored two year around the world trip. And they are doing it on $50 a day, about half of our budget. It is nice to find other adventurous people who can inspire us.
