Copán

Terms / Concepts / Features:

• "stone tree"
  
  
• "Acropolis"
  
  
• Copán "turbans"
  
  
• serpent bar
  
  
• Hieroglyphic Stairway

Hieroglyphic Stairway
Copan, Honduras

• corbeled arch
  
  
• range building
  
  
• tzompantli
  
  
• Copán's Emblem: The head of a leaf-nosed bat
  
  

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Notes:

• Morley and Thompson early on characterized the Maya as having two social classes, and no war. We now know this is not so
  
  
• At Copán archaeologists excavate with tunnels. That way they have to destroy less.
  
  
• Copán had over 20,000 inhabitants in the Late Classic
  
  
• Linda Schele: "A ruler performed two great acts, taking captives in battle and bloodletting as ruler."
  
  
• Copán has one of the best ball courts in all of the Mayan world. "The ball game is the fundamental metaphor of what life is all about."
  
  
• Just like Pope Julius II commissioned Bramante, Raphael, and Michelangelo, 18 Rabbit was the patron of Copán. He ruled for 43 years, appearing in sculpture as "The First Father" The Maize God.
  
  

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Cultures:

• Maya
  

Sites:

• Copán

Individuals:

• 18 Rabbit Waxaklahun (Ubah Káwil)
• Frederick Catherwood
• John L. Stephens
• Alfred Maudslay
• Sylvanus Morley
• Barbara Fash (art historian)
• Bill Fash
• Tatiana Proskouriakoff
  
• Linda Schele (epigrapher)

Ritual
Copán, Hondudras