Copan Ruinas, Honduras 8 May 2009 

Royal Mayan Tomb Discovered

In a press conference at the Centro Regional de Investigaciones (C.R.I.A.) today, information was released on one of the most important discoveries Copan Ruinas, Honduras.  Ricardo Agurcia Fasquelle, Honduran archaeologicst and Executive Director of the Copan Association and his team of archeologists and technicians began excavations in June, 2008 in secret.  This tomb of an unknown ruler is believed to have been in power between 550 - 700 A.D.  It is not yet known whether the tomb contains the remains of a male or female.  The excavation began in an area below the Temple Oropéndola after a floor was discovered during conservation efforts. The temple known as Oropendola was built after the famous Temple Rosalila.  On the top of the temple is the face of a jaguar which signifies the Mountain of the Jaguar a mythical place of power for the ancient Maya.  The tomb is believed to be Maya Royalty because of the quality and quantity of offerings found inside.  Although the collapse of the roof of the tomb destroyed much of the skeletal remains, which correspond to that of an adult over 30 years of age who stood between 1.54 to l.67 cm. in height the tomb has yielded many offerings including ceramic pots containing food, jade ear cuffs, and shells.  In addition the meticulous work over the months has revealed three necklaces of jade, alabaster pots, and hundreds of pieces of mica many of which are of unknown origin as they thought to have been brought into the Copan Valley from as far away as Teotihuacan in Mexico. 

The technical team for Project Oropendola consisted of Ricardo Agurcia Fasquelle, Director; Molly Fierer-Donaldson, Field Director; Melvin Elisandro Garza,  Isuara Nereyda Alonso, and Placido Domingo Avalos, Archaeological Assistants; Ramón Guerra, Technician; Oscar López Canan y Manuel Antonio Guerra, excavators.  Organizations collaborating on this important find are (in alphabetical order) Asociación Copán, Copán Maya Foundation, Instituto de Antropología, Guatemala, Instituto Hondureño de Antropología e Historia, Instituto Hondureño de Turismo, Smithsonian Institute, Policía Turística Balam, University of California, Riverside, Arizona State University, Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.

The team of experts included Dr. William Fash, Harvard University, Lic. Bárbara Fash, Harvard University, Lic. Lynn Grant, University of Pennsylvania, Arq. Rudy Larios V., Ing. Ernesto Lazarus, Lazarus & Lazarus, Dr. Dorie Reents-Budet, Smithsonian Institution, Lic. Juan Carlos Pérez Calderón, Instituto de Antropología, Guatemala, Dr. Robert Sharer, University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Karl Taube, University of California at Riverside, Dr. Loa Traxler, University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Rene Viel.  A slide show presentation will be available at a future date.

Introduction

WHO WE ARE:

The Copan Association is a Honduran non-profit organization founded in 1990 dedicated to the research and conservation of national heritage.

We promote and support:

• Research, education and conservation of the cultural and natural heritage of Honduras.
• Training for Hondurans in Anthropology and related fields.
• Projects that promote intelligent stewardship of the cultural and natural landscape.

Founded and guided by leaders in Middle American research, the Copan Association has been directed since its creation by Ricardo Agurcia Fasquelle, Honduran archaeologist and community leader.

Honduran business people and philanthropists work with national and international scholars on our board of directors to guide this institution.

WHERE

We are located in the small town of Copan Ruinas, in western Honduras, one kilometer from the Maya archaeological site of Copan and three blocks from the town’s main square.

We work within Honduras as consultants and liaisons for national or international funds. We carry out projects designed to educate, to enhance the cultural history experience of visitors, and to preserve Honduran heritage for future generations.