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Plaza Copal is named for an important tree of the ancient and contemporary
Maya, called Pom in Mayan. The resin of the Copal
is burned as incense in the temples of the Maya, past and present.
This plaza is among the largest at El Pilar, covering an area bigger
than a football field and surrounded by imposing buildings (55 x 115
meters or 180 x 377 feet). Envision the ancient Maya walking up to
the entrance from Duende to behold this impressive plaza. Archaeological
excavations have identified at least eight superimposed plastered
floors beneath your feet, all made of smooth, thick, lime plaster. |
| Entering Plaza Copal, the Maya would encounter a great
expanse of plastered plaza extending to the south, flanked with tall
pyramids painted with blues, yellows, and deep red, with florid friezes
above doorways and steep stairs up temples. Dominating the center
vista, directly south at the end of the plaza, was a platform rising
up to a prominent range of doorways crowned by massive corbel
vaults. This sight would have been awe inspiring. |
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Standing at the north end of the plaza you are between the
twin pyramids of Hunahpu to the east and Xbalanque to the west.
These pyramids are named after the legendary Maya Hero Twins,
who in the course of many adventures, were able to win concessions
for mortals from the gods. Just as the Lords of the Underworld
mythically decapitated Hunahpu, looters have decapitated Plaza
Copal's northeastern pyramid. This structure is now covered
in vegetation that hides the damage. |
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| The western pyramid of these two sentinels, Xbalanque,
has also been looted, but many of these trenches have been filled.
Some of the brush has been cleared to allow the lush ferns and begonias
to spread. This pyramid faces south with a stairway rising to a small
range of rooms supporting a corbel-arched building on top. This area
often provides a nesting site for toucans and vultures. |
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| Approaching the southwest corner of Hunahpu, you will
find a sign that reads, "Bryan & Murphy
Causeway." To the right of the "Bryan & Murphy"
sign, you will see a rest stop, built
by volunteers from Raleigh International with the counsel of the
El
Pilar caretakers. From this vista there is a commanding view of the
vast residential domain between the southern two major sectors of
El Pilar. The high trees in the western distance are atop the plazas
and pyramids of Pilar
Poniente
across the border in Guatemala, less than 1 kilometer (5/8 mile)
away.
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