World Of The Maya: Ancient Copan

Copán, sometimes called the “Athens of the New World” for the beauty of its stone sculpture and impressive architecture, has drawn explorers and researchers since Stevens and Catherwood’s groundbreaking visit in 1839 awakened the world to Mayan civilization. Now a World Heritage Site, Copán has been extensively studied and has played a primary role in our knowledge of the Maya.

In recent years, exciting new finds have been made here, including the Hunal Tomb, believed to be the burial place of the founder of the Copán Dynasty, and the Margarita Tomb, thought to hold the remains of his wife, both excavated by our Guest Speaker Robert Sharer. Recent excavations by Guest Speaker Ricardo Agurcia revealed the marvelous Oropendola Temple beneath Structure 16. There has also been important progress in preserving and deciphering Copán’s famous hieroglyphic stairway.

In recognition of these discoveries, we are very excited to return to Copán, site of our first Mayan program, to offer a three-day symposium with a remarkable panel of Mayanists who will address these discoveries and their implications. Our Guest Speakers provide an insider’s view as they escort us on in-depth excursions to the Copán ruins, then accompany us on a choice of four different post-symposium tours.

Our Guest Speakers

Dr. Robert Sharer received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and has conducted research in Central America for over 40 years, including long-term studies at Copán. In his most recent research, he directed the Early Copán Acropolis Program, excavating the royal acropolis to reveal the origin of the Copán state between 400 and 650 AD. He is the author of numerous books, including the definitive The Ancient Maya.

Dr. Loa P. Traxler, a research scientist in the American Section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum, focuses her research on the architectural evolution and sociopolitical organization of Classic Maya centers. Her recent excavations within the Copán acropolis to document its buried architecture revealed a series of ritual caches and elaborate tombs within the site’s royal complex.

Dr. Marc Zender is a lecturer at Harvard’s Department of Anthropology and an Associate of the Corpus of Maya Hieroglyphic Inscriptions Program at Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. He received his PhD from the University of Calgary and is well known for his expertise in Mayan hieroglyphics and linguistics, reading several Mayan languages. He was the epigrapher for the Comalcalco Archaeological Project.

Ricardo Agurcia Fasquelle, the principal archaeologist at Copán, is the Regional Coordinator of Archaeological Projects for the Honduran government. In 1989, he discovered the now-famous Rosalila Temple as he tunneled under Structure 16. He has taught at the National University of Honduras, is a frequent speaker on preservation of archaeological resources, and is the author of Copán: A History Carved in Stone, the official guidebook to Copán, and the recently released Copán: Kingdom of the Sun.

Dr. Ellen Bell received her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania with a dissertation on Early Classic Ritual Deposits within the Copán Acropolis. An expert on Copán’s political and economic expansion during the Classic period, Dr. Bell was a key member of Early Copán Acropolis Program from 1994 to 2004 and is currently Co-Principal Investigator of the El Paraiso Archaeological Project and co-editor of the book Early Classic Copán.

Itinerary Description

Copán Symposium

The ancient royal city of Copán, seat of power for 16 kings, has an overwhelming legacy of artistic achievement, including its intricately carved stelae and the monumental stairway that covers the entire western face of Temple 26, every block of it carved in hieroglyphic text.

During the three-day symposium preceding our tours, we make the most of Copán’s extraordinary treasury of art and architecture, interweaving presentations by our Guest Speakers with fascinating site visits, including access to areas of unfolding discovery not normally open to the public.

Symposium Tours

Each of these unique tours begins with the three-day World of the Maya symposium at Copán, then heads out to explore diverse, fascinating Mayan sites. Each tour is accompanied by one of our esteemed Guest Speakers, whose insights and expertise add greatly to our experience of the Mayan world.

Copán to Tikal

Our journey focuses on the historic and political relationships between Copán, the nearby site of Quirigua, and majestic Tikal, which has a close association with Copán’s founder. We also visit the lively port town of Livingston, with its unique Garifuna culture, the early Maya site of Kaminaljuyu, and the best of Guatemala City’s famous museums.

Itinerary Highlights: Copán Symposium, El Paraíso, Quirigua, Livingston, Tikal, Yaxha, Guatemala City
Land Cost: TBA

Copán to Palenque

We visit three major Mayan cities—Copán, Tikal, and Palenque—for an opportunity to compare these important Classic Mayan sites. En route we travel by boat to more remote sites related to these classical cities, including Ceibal and Aguateca on the Petexbatún Lagoon, and Yaxchilán on the Usumacinta River, with its famous carved lintels.

Itinerary Highlights: Copán Symposium, Ceibal, Aguateca, Tikal, Yaxchilán, Palenque
Land Cost: TBA

Copán to Caracol

Traveling from Copán to Tikal to Caracol, we learn how these centers of separate Mayan dynasties coexisted, with complex interrelationships including trade and warfare. Continuing deeper into Belize, we visit classic outposts of the Mayan world at Lamanai and Altun Ha before ending our trip in Belize City.

Itinerary Highlights: Copán Symposium, Tikal, Xunantunich, Caracol, Lamanai, Altun Ha
Land Cost: TBA

Copán to Calakmul

We explore remote, impressive Calakmul, rarely visited despite its importance as one of the primary political centers of the Mayan world. We also visit major cities such as Tikal and Palenque and smaller sites including Bonampak, with its spectacular murals, Balamkú, Kohunlich, and Tulum, ending our travels in Cancún.

Itinerary Highlights: Copán Symposium, Tikal, Bonampak, Palenque, Calakmul, Kohunlich, Tulum
Land Cost: TBA

Copán to Tikal Land Cost: TBA
Copán to Palenque Land Cost: TBA
Copán to Caracol Land Cost: TBA
Copán to Calakmul Land Cost: TBA

**Airfare is not included in Program Cost unless indicated

New Discoveries at Ancient Copán