Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-09-07
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block Of stone. sometimes round and sometimes
square. These, because of their close connec-
ton with the larger monuments. have been
called affairs, and 1t is not unlikely that they
may have served some such a purpose. They
are deliberately sculptured with grotesque dg-
ures and in some cases with hieroglyphics also.
Leaving the Great Plaza and its interesting
monuments behind. and proceeding southwark
about 100 yards, we enter a narrow court z9O
feet in length by 1875 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 efa1rs
the pyramid at its southern end. This
stairway, including the deliberately sculptured
balustrades on each side, measures 33 feet IN
width. Its steps, which average q foot In height,
have their vertical facesrcoIered with hero
glyphics.
: Thfs-monumental stairway, rising steeply for
80 feet, its steps and balustrades deliberately
sculptured, and full-size human figures occupy
ing it's center at regular intervals clear to the
summit, must have presented in former times a
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 Enclosure. though somewhat small
(about 125 feet square,, originally must have
been one of the most beautiful parts of the city.
Judging from the elaborate sculptures now
strewing. it In great profusion. On It's 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 q broad.
rather low stairway, fanked by two He-sized
rampant jaguars sculptured In high relief. This
fight of steps leads to a broad terrace overlook
ing another court. The remaining sides OF the
Eastern Court are occupied by high terraces,
which support a number Of ruined structures.
One Of these on the northern terrace was exca-
waited by Mr.. Maudslay, who found there q beau
tiful interior doorway nine feet wide, over
which there is an elaborate frieze supported at
it's 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 on 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, it can mean nothing more nor less
than the total destruction OF the city.
But this wholesale demolition Is not being &C.
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 an open
book, one may read the successive periods Of
the city's growth. At different levels from the
hollows upward throughout the rubble hearting
OF the substructure there are horizontal strata
OF cut paving stones. These are 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 plazas
xvA>> kettle ~ = 49, A. ~~-4--
city. These constructions, as we see from the
crosssection Of the substructure. were built d.
rectly above the older ones. When It became
necessary to build a new plaza it's rubble foun-
datons were laid on the paving Of the old plaza
which it was to replace, and thus the highest OF
the substructure slowly increased. A careful
study of the floors of these successive plazas
would doubtless teach much as 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 our reasons for hav-
ing called Copan "The Mother City Of the
Mayas." Briefly stated, 1t Is because OF the
greater antiquity Of its hieroglyphic inscriptions
as compared with those Of every other Maya
city now known. This greater age Of Copan Is
indicated, not only by the actual 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, sculpr
ture is found to be In very high relief or even in
the round. and is characterized by a great pro-
fusion and elaboration Of detail. Nothing Of
this, however, appears in the earliest monu-
ments at Copan, where the relief Is SO low that
It amounts to little more than incised lines, the
sculptor apparently not feeling sure enough Of
his technique to attempt anything more ambi-
ttous.
Aside from this question of technique, how
ever, the dates themselves recorded on these
more crudely sculptured monuments are much
earlier than those on 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 300
years. or. expressed In terms of Maya chronol
ogy, from one to fifteen katuns. the Maya "ka-
tun't being approximately equal to 20 Of our own
years.
For these two reasons, then, the more print
tive character Of its earliest monuments and
the actual priority Of It's earliest dates, We have
called Copan 'The Mother City Of the Mayas.'