ICopan - iHonduras 'izivakashi ezinkulu

Ilanga lasekuseni lishisa amathempeli amatshe ase-Copan abe mhlophe, kuyilapho ebusweni bawo, izinyoka ziyagoqa, ama-jaguar aqoshama, izinyoni ezi-preen kanye nonkulunkulu be-grimace ku-pantomime osekuyiminyaka ecela ku-2,000 yenzeka. Ukuthula kuphazanyiswa kuphela ukukhala kwenkawu ekhalayo ehlala ehlathini elizungezile laseHonduras.

Emahoreni ambalwa, ukucutshungulwa kwamaqembu abavubukuli kuhlanganiswe nokuxokozela kwezivakashi kuzogcwalisa lesi sigameko sakudala ngendlela esheshayo yekhulunyaka lama-21, kodwa manje, ngemva nje kokuntwela kokusa, lapho sekucishe kwashiywa, kulula ukucabanga izipoki zasendulo. AmaMaya anyathela umhlabathi ongcwele.

I-Copan, eyake yaba ngesinye sezinhloko-dolobha ezine ezinkulu zomhlaba wamaMaya, namuhla iyindawo eheha izivakashi eHonduras. Kanye namadolobha ayo amathathu angodadewabo - iPalenque neCalakmul eMexico, neTikal eGuatemala - kunikeza izivakashi ukuqonda ngombuso osuka eYucatan yaseMexico unqamule iBelize, iHonduras neGuatemala uye e-El Salvador, ohlanganisa ingxenye enkulu yeMelika Ephakathi.

Nakuba kunobufakazi bemivubukulo bokuthi iCopan Valley yakhiwe kusukela ngo-1200 BC, kwaze kwaba ngu-AD 426 lapho yaqala ukubuswa inkosi (Yax K'uk' Mo', okusho ukuthi i-Great Sun First Quetzal Macaw; ngokulandelana. ama-monarchs ayenama-monikers achazayo ngokulinganayo, okuhlanganisa namagama ahunyushwe ku-Smoke Monkey, i-Waterlily Jaguar kanye ne-18 Rabbit). Ngo-AD 750, impucuko yayisifinyelele esicongweni.

Indawo yaseCopan engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-12 ihlanganisa izindawo ezingaphezu kuka-750 nezakhiwo ezingu-4,500: amathempeli, amathuna, ama-altare emihlatshelo namagceke, kanye nemigede ethathwa njengezingosi zezwe elingaphansi kwamaMayan.

Imivubukulo yembula ukuthi iCopan yayiyisikhungo semikhosi nendawo yokuhlangana yamaMaya. Kusukela lapha babikezela ukusitheka kwelanga nenyanga; wenza izibalo mayelana nokunyakaza kweJupiter, Mars futhi, abanye bacabanga, ngisho neMercury; futhi yahlanganisa izici zemvelo nenkolelo emandleni angaphezu kwawemvelo. Esimisweni sokuqala sokubhala eZweni Elisha, baqopha konke abakutholile ezibhebheni ezinkulu zamatshe okuthiwa ama-stelae.

Okugqame kakhulu kulawa ma-monoliths alandisa ngempilo nokufa kuka-Rabbit okukhulunywe ngaye ngenhla, inkosi yangekhulu lesishiyagalombili nomvikeli wezobuciko owanqunywa ikhanda isizwe esasiqhudelana naye.

Izivakashi zanamuhla ezivakashela eCopan zingena emanxiweni zisuka kuMgwaqo waseMayan osentshonalanga, umzila ofanayo owathathwa amaMaya futhi kamuva nabanqobi bawo baseSpain. Umhubhe ophahlwe yimisedari uholela ekungeneni, okuthi, ekuhambeleni kwami, ugadwe ama-macaw amahlanu amibalabala.

Lena indawo ekahle yokuma kancane futhi ucabange ukuthi i-Copan kumelwe ukuba yayibukeka kanjani lapho itholwa ekhulwini le-16 ngemva kokugwinywa ihlathi futhi yafihlwa amakhulu eminyaka ambalwa. Noma ukucabangela indlela okumelwe ukuba yayibukeka ngayo ngo-1839, lapho umlimi wendawo eyidayisela isazi semivubukulo saseMelika uJohn Stephens ngamaRandi angu-50, nokuthi yaqhubeka kanjani ibukeka kwaze kwaba ngawo-1930, lapho kuqala ukumba okokuqala.

Amakhosi aseMeya angase aphumule ngokungakhululekile emathuneni awo ukube ayazi ukuthi amagugu amaningi kaCopan manje asehlobisa iminyuziyamu yomphakathi, kuhlanganise neBritish Museum eLondon kanye ne-Harvard's Peabody Museum, kanye namaqoqo angasese ahlukahlukene; namanje, kusasele okwanele ukujabulisa umvubukuli ochwepheshile kanye nesihlalo se-armchaeologist.