The Elbert County tribune., 1911-09-08
cEA7xD EcZlRE (9dRlzqlLY Rk.OURxO
m cEXZZR or JZ4hPy114Y |&

block Of stone. sometimes round and sometimes
square. These. because OF their close connec-
tion with the larger monuments. have been
called affairs. and It is not unlikely that they
may have served some such purpose. They
elaborately sculptured with grotesque ng-
and in some cases with heroglyphics also.
Leaving the Great Plaza and its interesting
monuments behind, and proceeding southwark
about 100 yards. enter narrow court 290
feet In length by 1856 feet in width. This in
closure has been named The Court OF the
Hieroglyphic Stairway" because of Its most re-
markable feature-an imposing flight OF stairs
ascending the pyramid at its southern end. This
stairway, including the eaborately scuptured
balustrades each side. measures SO feet in
width. Its steps which average foot in height,
have their vertical faces covered with hero
glyphics.
This monumental stairway, rising steeply for
80 feet, its steps and balustrades elaborately
scuptured and fulsize human figures occupy
ing It's center at regular intervals clear to the
summit, must have presented in former times
striking appearance and offered an effect but
little short of stupendous.
Ascending the steep slope which forms the
southeastern side of the court OF the Hero
glyphic Stairway, we find ourselves on the sum
NIT of a broad terrace overlooking the Eastern
Court. This incosure. though somewhat small
(about 1876 feet sounre), originally must have
been one OF the most beautiful parts of the city.
Judging from the elaborate sculptures now
strewing 1t in great profusion On Its south side
rises the highest pyramid at Copan, the summit
112 feet above the level OF the river. Across the
greater part of the western side extends broad.
rather low stairway. ianked by two lhe-sized
rampant jaguars scuptured in high relief. This
flight of steps leads to broad terrace overlook
ing another court. The remaining sides of the
Eastern Court occupied by high terraces.
which support number of ruined structures.
One OF these on the northern terrace was exca-
waited by Mr.. Maudslay who found there beau
t,,t1r min faat uvtda war
which there Is an elaborate frieze supported at
its ends by crouching human figures of heroic
size, the whole being carved in high relief al
most amounting to sculpture In the round.
The structures the eastern and remaining
terrace have for the most part disappeared. their
destruction having been due to a change in
the course OF the Copan river, which now
washes the exterior base Of this terrace. This
cutting away of the great substructure Of the
main group of buildings by the river Is one
OF the most interesting and at the same time
deplorable features at Copan since ultimately. II
not checked. II can mean nothing more nor less
than the total destruction Of the city.
But this Wholesale demolition is not being
complished without its accompanying lesson in
archaeology. This great vertical wall. cut by
the river all along the eastern side Of the main
group, is the largest cross-section OF an arch.
geological site In the world Here. like open
book. one may read the successive periods Of
the city's growth At different levels from the
OF the substructure there are horizontal strata
Of cut paving stones These the pavements
OF different plazas dating from successive
epochs of the city's history, and they clearly
demonstrate that the growth of Copan has been
gradual. AS time passed and the population in
creased, newer and larger structures and plaxas
built to meet the needs OF the growing
city. These constructions. from the
crosssecton OF the substructure. were built d.
rectly above the older ones. When 1t became
necessary to build a new plaza its rubbe foun-
datons were laid on the paving Of the old plaza
which it to replace and thus the highest Of
the substructure slowly increased. careful
study Of the floors of these successive plazas
would doubtless teach much to the different
epochs of the city's occupancy. and might even
reveal important facts relative to its history
Before closing this description, It may not be
out of place to explain here reasons for hav-
ing called Copan THE Mother City OF the
Mayas.' Briefly stated 1t is because Of the
greater antiquity Of It's hieroglyphic inscriptions
compared with those Of every other Maya
city now known This greater age of Copan is
indicated, not only by the actua, dates recorded
in its earliest inscriptions. but also by a cruder
technique in their execution. Later. in the best
period of the southern Maya civilization. scuip-
ture is found to be in very high relief even in
the round. and is characterized by great pro-
fusion and elaboration Of detail Nothing OF
this, however. appears in the earliest mpnu-
ments at Copan. where the relief is SO low that
II amounts to little more than fncised lines, the
sculptor apparently not feeling enough Of
his technique to attempt anything more ambi-
tous
Aside from this question Of technique. how
ever. the dates themselves recorded on these
more crudely sculptured monuments are much
earlier than those the more elaborate ones
The earliest historic date at Copan preceded the
earliest historic dates Of all the other great
Maya cities by intervals ranging from 20 to 200
years. or. expressed in terms Of Maya chronoL
ogy. from one to fifteen katuns. the Maya "ka-
tun" being approximately equal to 20 OF our own
years.
For these two ressons. then. the more primi
tive character Of its earliest monuments and
the actual priority Of its earliest dates. we have
called copnn THE Mother City OF the Mayas.'