Page:Archæologia Americana—volume 2, 1836.djvu/585

 THE RUINS OF COPAN. 549 the top than at the bottom. Mounts of stone, formed by fallen edifices, are found throughout the neighbouring country. In comparing these ruins with those of Palenque, I am struck with a similarity indicating a common origin (the Tulteca) ; however, they differ in very essential points. Palenque was abandoned, and the memory of its existence appears to have been obliterated before the conquest ; whereas the Spaniards found Copan inhabited, and in the summit of its perfection ; notwithstanding which, the edifices and other monuments in Palenque are in a better state of preservation than here, owing to their superior architecture. There is no building here standing, while numerous ones are still so in Palenque ; the stones for building were different, since those of that city are not more than two inches thick, while these were cut into blocks ; here the roofs were formed of inclined stones, there they were always placed horizontally. There is much more perfection in the human figures there, and they mostly stand in profile ; these are generally placed with a full front. I saw no obelisks or sculptured tables in Palenque. Circular stones are found in both places of various sizes ; some like those of a mill, with a hole in the centre, and some without; and neither having any inscription, mark, or appa- rent utility. The writing, or hieroglyphics (which are phonetic), is very similar in both cities, always inscribed in tablets either per- fectly square or nearly so, and containing faces, hands, and various identical characters. A small Spanish force, with a considerable number of auxiliary Indians, despatched from Guatemala, captured this place, though they met with great opposition on their march, and a resistance here worthy of better means and success. This place remained long celebrated for the superior quality of its tobacco; but the cultivation of this plant being removed, as royal property, to the Llanos de Santa Rosa, towards the east, seventy-five years ago, Copan has gradually fallen into decay; and is now reduced to a small hamlet, standing near where the brook of Sesesmil falls into the Copan river, in the western suburb of the ancient city. This spot is within the modern State of Honduras, being four leagues to the eastward of the boundary with Guatemala, in latitude 14° 45' north, and