The Hieroglyphic Stairway and its Ancestors:<i>Investigations of Copan Structure 10L-26</i>

Fash, William L.; Williamson, Richard V.; Larios, Carlos Rudy; Palka, Joel W.

doi:10.1017/s0956536100002339

Cited by 36 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…Structure 10L-22A has been proposed to be the council house or popol nah for the Copan polity (B. Fash 1992). The eight hieroglyphs paired with eight human figures on the facade of 10L-22A are hypothesized to be toponyms for political regions in the Copan valley (Schele et al 1991) that sent representatives, perhaps holpop, of elite lineages to the council house to convene with the ruler.…”

Section: Figuredmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuity and Change in a Royal Maya Residential Complex at Copan

Andrews

Fash

1992

Ancient Mesoam

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Excavation of the large elite structures around the Structure 10L-32 plaza at the northeast corner of Group 10L-2, at the south edge of the Acropolis at Copan, supports the view that this group was the residence of the royal family during the Late and Terminal Classic Coner phase. During the hundred years of construction at the uppermost plaza level, structure change and growth follows two patterns: (1) a tendency for subsequent buildings in one place to retain a similar form and probably function, and (2) a trend away from domestic structures to ritual or public buildings. As the buildings around the plaza grew, access to the complex was increasingly limited. The largest two, Structures 10L-32 and 10L-30, were built late in the eighth century by a noble named Chac, who was a close associate, relative, or sibling of Yax Pac. The older Structure 10L-29, on the terrace above the plaza, was dedicated to the worship of royal lineage ancestors. The collapse of this group occurred in two stages, a decline of the nobility early in the ninth century, followed by violent destruction of buildings and monuments sometime before that century ended. This sequence of events may apply to the entire Principal Group and adjacent elite residential areas.

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Section: Figuredmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuity and Change in a Royal Maya Residential Complex at Copan

Andrews

Fash

1992

Ancient Mesoam

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“…The Stairway, built in two stages during the 8th century AD, is of exceptional archaeological importance, as the inscription of over a thousand glyphs carved on its risers is the longest written text from ancient Mesoamerica (Fash et al, 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological analysis and biodeterioration processes over time at the Hieroglyphic Stairway in the Copàn (Honduras) archaeological site

Caneva

Salvadori²,

Ricci³

et al. 2005

Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all As

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The Copàn Hieroglyphic Stairway, one of the most important monuments of the Mayan culture, was excavated at the end of the 1800s. After a few decades it was extensively attacked by mosses and lichens. Different biocide treatments were applied in the late 1970s, and consolidation and stabilization works were carried out in the 1980s and 90s; a tarp was installed in 1985 over the Stairway for protection from rain. The present investigation shows an almost total death of lichens and a heavy reduction of the biodeterioration phenomena on the stone surfaces of this monument. The most frequent species presently growing are cyanobacteria and a few green algae. Notwithstanding this relatively low level of superficial colonization, crosssection staining and SEM analyses at times revealed a heavy biological growth just below the surface. The main structures found were exo-polymeric substances, fungal hyphae and moss protonema. Through a comparative analysis of the biodeteriorative phenomena of other monuments at the site, and with historical records, the relationships between the main ecological factors (water and light) and the biological colonization at the Copàn archaeological site are described. The ecological analysis and the changes that seem to have occurred in the biodeterioration of the Stairway provide useful information for planning future conservative interventions.

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“…Copan was embedded within an expansive network of population centers linked by political and military alignments, trade flows, and cross-migration with other Maya settlements as well as distant Mesoamerican sites as far northward as the Central Mexican city of Teotihuacan [ 34 – 37 ]. Monumental inscriptions such as the longest contiguous Maya text known—the famous Hieroglyphic Stairway—record the dynastic lineage and key historical accomplishments of each ruler [ 38 , 39 ].…”

Section: Situating Copan and The Zooarchaeological Assemblagementioning

confidence: 99%

Jaguar and puma captivity and trade among the Maya: Stable isotope data from Copan, Honduras

Sugiyama

Fash

2018

PLoS ONE

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From Moctezuma’s zoo to animals kept in captivity at Teotihuacan, there is increasing evidence that Mesoamericans managed wild animals for a myriad of purposes. The present study situates ritualized animal management of highly symbolic fauna in the broader context of Classic Mesoamerica by examining another core site, the Maya center of Copan, Honduras (A.D. 426–822). In this study, we identify two animal populations among the faunal remains from public and private rituals spanning the Copan dynasty. One population, with diets heavily composed of atypically sourced C4 inputs indicative of artificial feeding, corresponds with the felids interred in Altar Q and Motmot caches. The second population is composed of felids and felid products bearing a predominance of C3 signatures indicative of a more natural dietary regime. As with Copan deer, species-specific δ18O variations within these felid populations further substantiates the postulation that an expansive faunal trade network operated throughout the greater Copan Valley and beyond. Animals routed from sites of capture into the mesh of this network would have been processed into pelts, venison and other secondary goods or delivered alive to centers of state power for ritual usage and display. Our data reveal that at Copan, wild animals were routinely brought into intimate contact with human settlements to be managed and physically manipulated in a variety of ways in order to fulfill ritual and symbolic purposes.

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The Hieroglyphic Stairway and its Ancestors:Investigations of Copan Structure 10L-26

Cited by 36 publications

References 11 publications

Continuity and Change in a Royal Maya Residential Complex at Copan

Continuity and Change in a Royal Maya Residential Complex at Copan

Ecological analysis and biodeterioration processes over time at the Hieroglyphic Stairway in the Copàn (Honduras) archaeological site

Jaguar and puma captivity and trade among the Maya: Stable isotope data from Copan, Honduras

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