Step on Stone

My travels to Central/South America always include an itinerary that takes in as much Pre-Columbian history as possible. The Maya are a people I have studied and admired for years (I was once an archeology student at UofC) and I’m thankful I’ve had the chance to experience ten Mayan sites in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras over the last few years. Each site holds a special interest for me, but I think it would be tough to find a more artistic expression of Mayan life than I did in Copán, Honduras.

Truly, the Mayan people were at their creative peak during the height of Copán’s dynasties between 400-800AD, although the site has been used by the lowland Maya since 9th century BC – about 2000 years of occupation. Copán has the most detailed, expertly carved effigies, stelae, altars and glyphs I have seen (although the stelae at Quiriguá are monumental). It was an incredible place to visit and reflect on life in this valley over the last two millenia. Expect more photography from my recent trips to Copán, Quiriguá and Tikal in upcoming posts.

Ruined staircase leading up to Structure 11: Temple of the Inscriptions. Copán Ruinas, Honduras, 2011.