This avenue also leads to the Ceremonial Court which is also known as the Main Court. This picture on
the left shows the Honduras.net
team with our guide in front of the avenue leading towards the Ceremonial Court. The court is a large
quadrangle stadium or amphitheater flanked on three sides by stairways, each measuring 75 meters in
length. The southern side was left open, but later on they constructed a base and pedestal in the center
with steps along four sides and topped of by a terrace, which was possibly used as a special grandstand.
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Click on the picture to hear what he's thinking. |
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| The various Stella, nine in number, are distributed about the court and it is yet unknown whether their placement corresponds to a determined order. It is well to explain that almost all the Stella which constitute the principal group, still remain in their original site, that is, where the Mayas erected them. Many of these monuments had fallen, were buried, broken or at least inclined. | A careful study of their base was made when these Stella were being restored. All the Stella, without exception, are placed over a cruciform masonry vault, which is concealed by a rectangular platform constructed of carved stone blocks, at the base of each monument. | These cruciform vaults were apparently intended for the deposit of religious offerings, which in most cases consisted of crude clay vessels, but jade beads, as well as fish and bird bones, etc., were also found inside these vaults. |
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This is one side of an estela made showing Eighteen Rabits, a famous Mayan ruler. On the left the young Eighteen Rabits can be seen with a childish face. Various symbols described by our guide on these estelas demonstrated that this side of the estela described the sunrise or the symbolic birth of Eighteen Rabits. On the right, the older Eighteen Rabits ruler can be seen with a grown beard, more mature and powerful. This side also demonstrated the dawn or death of Eighteen Rabits. |  |
| One may observe the construction system used at the time, formed by carved stones and which is still employed today. While studying the drainage system, it was found that its construction belongs to different eras and that it was adequate to carry the volume of water drained from the structures to the Copan River. | ||
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In the middle of the Square there is a prominent altar in spherical form, flat at the poles, and which has been called “Sacrifice Stone” or “Altar”. On top it has a small circular opening from which two canals originate on opposite sides, which were possibly the outlets for the liquid that accumulated in the cavity. The middle of the altar is decorated with some sort of twisted rope, which could easily be taken for a serpent. The rest of the altar is flat. These are pictures of it. |
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 Our guide describing the type of construction inside one of the ruins |
Unofficial stories say that this ruin contains information about space ships used at the time
of the Mayas. If it were true, it would explain how the Mayas were capable of building these
great monuments made of extreamly heavy rock. |
This magnificent structure is located East of the Court which has the same name and it is considered
as one of the most remarkable and interesting monument built by the Mayas during the Classic Period.
It contains 63 steps or stairs, each one carved with hieroglyphic on the cants. At the time of
discovery, ten steps from the base were found completely, “in situ”, and five more partially destroyed.
It measured 10 meters in width including the balustrades or banisters, and 20.76 meters in height, above
the Court level.
The banisters or balustrades on either side of the Stairway are 1.20 meters wide, decorated with
serpentine and bird-like motifs. The composition of these decorations appears to represent
“the celestial Monster”.