Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Opened in 1999 to much fanfare, the original excavation tunnels used by archaeologists to
discover the hidden gems of Copán are available for visitors to explore. The first of these,
Túnel Rosalila, brings you to the Rosalila Temple found buried under Structure 16, still
with some of its original brilliant hues. Only about 25 meters of the tunnel are open to vis-
itors.ShelteredbehindPlexiglaswindowstoprotectitfromtheelementsandhumantouch,
you'll find small patches of the temple peeking out from underneath the outer layers of
newerstructures.Consideredbysometobethebest-preservedstuccostructureintheMay-
an world, the carvings are surprisingly crisp. To fully appreciate the scale, magnificence,
and brilliant hue of this temple, you'll have to go to the Sculpture Museum, where it dom-
inates the edifice and is beautifully lit from above by opaque sunlight.
The second tunnel, Túnel de los Jaguares, brings you to the Tumba Galindo beneath
Structure 17 in the southern part of the East Plaza. About 95 meters of this tunnel, fully
comprising 700 meters, are open to visitors. It is somewhat less dramatic than the Ros-
alila Tunnel, comprising burial tombs and niches for offerings, though there is also a nice
macaw mask to be seen. The tomb's discovery dates to 1834.
At $15, admission to the tunnels is a bit on the pricey side and is recommended for seri-
ous enthusiasts of archaeology but not so much for the casual visitor.
Las Sepulturas
This smaller residential complex is connected to the main group by a
sacbe,
or elevated
causeway, running through the forest. This path is closed to visitors and so you must exit
the archaeological site and head up the main road for two kilometers toward San Pedro
Sula. You'll see a sign on the right (bring your admission ticket, as you'll need it to get in).
Las Sepulturas was ignored by archaeologists earlier in Copán's history but recent work
here has revealed some information about the daily lives of the city's ancient inhabitants.
Meaning“thetombs,”thecomplexwasnamedbylocalfarmerswhouncoveredtheremains
of long-departed Mayan nobles who had been buried here.
This area is not of much interest to the casual visitor, though you might like walking
along the quiet forest trails. Little remains of the original structures. An exception is the
Hieroglyphic Wall found on Structure 83, comprising a group of 16 glyphs telling about
events in the rule of Yax Pac and dating to A.D. 786. This site contains the remains of the
Palacio de los Bacabs
(Palace of the Officials), which is thought to have once housed 250
nobles. Only 18 of about 40 residential compounds have been excavated. In Las Sepultur-
as's Plaza A, archaeologists uncovered the tomb of a shaman from about A.D. 450, which
can be seen in the town's Museo Regional de Arqueología. Traces of human settlement
have been found here dating to 1,000 B.C., long before the Copán dynasty's rise to power.
Los Sapos
