Why is Copan so important?

Why is Copán so important?

Outstanding Universal Value. Discovered in 1570 by Diego García de Palacio, the Maya site of Copan is one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization. The site is functioned as the political, civil and religious centre of the Copan Valley.

Why did the Mayan city Copán collapse?

The collapse of the great ancient city of Copan, Honduras, has been linked to deforestation using data from a pollen profile in a sediment core taken from a pond near the urban center (12–18). Here we analyze a new core from the same location with extracted sediments that span a much longer period.

What is the population of Copán in Colombia?

It is estimated that the peak population in central Copán was between 6000 and 9000 in an area of 0.6 square kilometers (0.23 sq mi), with a further 9,000 to 12,000 inhabitants occupying the periphery—an area of 23.4 square kilometers (9.0 sq mi).

How far is Copán Ruinas from the modern city?

The ruins of the site core of the city are 1.6 kilometers (1 mi) from the modern village of Copán Ruinas, which is built on the site of a major complex dating to the Classic period. In the Preclassic period the floor of the Copán Valley was undulating, swampy and prone to seasonal flooding.

What is the Mayan city of Copán composed of?

The Mayan city of Copán as it exists today is composed of a main complex of ruins with several secondary complexes encircling it. The main complex consists of the Acropolis and important plazas.

What is the National Monument of Copan?

At the regional level, a Presidential Decree (1982) created the National Monument of Copan, covering a 30 km stretch of land that includes the Copan Valley where the World Heritage property is located, and that prescribes a special protection for all archaeological vestiges within the National Monument.