I've just come back from a weekend of travels - first to the Copan Ruins just over the border in Honduras, which are spectacular. These are ruins from the Classic Mayan period (AD 250 -900)and there are 3450 structures there!!!!. One of the most impressive is the Hieroglyphic Stairway with every stone bearing hierglyphic symbols telling the dynastic story of the royal house of Copan. Unfortunately when it was discovered most of it was in ruins, so only part of the history is understood. The rest has been put back out of order, whilst the archeologists work it all out. There is also the ball court - for the Mayan ball game - apparently it was a great honour to be able to play the game and only those in the higher classes were allowed to play. The captain of the winning team was rewarded by being sacrificed to the gods!!!!! The referees were always twins (one at each end), as they were seen as very special (almost holy), and were the only ones allowed to touch the ball with their hands when it went out of play. (Ohhh, Football would be so different if.........)
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