Copán Ruins

A Mayan city lost to the jungle.

Hundreds of years before the Spanish colonized what is now Honduras, a Mayan civilization flourished deep in the rainforest. This ancient people group formed from farmers and early villages, eventually developed into a complex society, which lasted from c. 2000 BC to 1519 AD. The Mayans created an incredibly accurate calendar system, had a written language, a popular ball game, and were some of the most skilled astrologists, artists, and craftsmen of ancient Mesoamerica.

Copán itself was occupied for more than 2,000 years, and today it is a step back in time to learn more about the Mayans. Through this archeological discovery and others related to the Mayans, we’ve discovered that spirituality was important to every class’s daily lives. Many of the ruins at Copán are temples, altars, and statues of various gods and rulers, which were believed to have been appointed by the gods.

The Copán Mayans built huge temples, tunnels, and many depictions of gods and past rulers. The bottom center is an altar that depicts all sixteen of the city's rulers in chronological order.

There are also many tombs used by royalty and other high-ranking individuals, which are believed to have been used for ancestor worship. In one of the tombs you can walk into, I noticed how short the Mayans must have been, having to duck to enter.

This is a recreation of the Stucco mask representing the Mayan Sun god, Kinch Ahau. The original structure is located entirely within one of the large temples, completely hidden from view. Archaeologists found the different colors of paint on the original structure and used that for their recreation.

And indeed they were short, at least compared to the average American, with the average man being 5’2“ and woman 4’10”. That did not mean that these weren’t ferocious people, though. The enemies of the Mayans had a lot to fear, as any captured foes, especially rulers or high-ranking officials, would be subject to torture, mutilation, and sacrifice to the gods.

Top row, from left to right: A deity or ruler, A powerful macaw demon called Popol Vuh, and a dragon. Middle row: Frogs, and two sets of intricate masks found in a temple. Bottom: The top of one of the temples, another top to a different temple with a carved skull altar, and several smaller stone depictions of rulers and other significant carvings.

Sacrifices were made during ritual calendar cycles to usher in a new ruler, or for specific requests to the gods, like for fertility, rain, or crops. The Copán Mayans sacrificed white deer, jaguars, various birds, and humans. One thing I felt when we first walked onto the ruins was a hard-to-shake heaviness. It felt like stepping back in time when we first entered the ruins, but a time where the truth of Christ had not yet penetrated, and humans sacrificing each other to gods, demons, or idols was acceptable.

John Calvin once stated that, “The human heart is a perpetual idol factory.” Anything that comes before God in our lives is an idol, and we should be constantly vigilant not to make an idol of anything, even if it’s not as obvious as a literal stone statue.

Top from left to right: The layout of the ruins, carved macaw heads, a sculpture. Middle: Depiction of an artist, A macaw, stone wall with carvings. Bottom: All different carvings from the temples.

All in all, Copán and its history are a fascinating step back in time, but an excellent reminder of how, when life is not sacred, every accomplishment becomes stained with that fact. A city that ruled for 2,000 years, now consumed by the jungle and mystery. The ancient Mayans show us that you can have all the knowledge in the world, but if you worship something false, how much truth do you really have?

---

1. Minster, Christopher. “The Ancient Maya and Human Sacrifice.” ThoughtCo, Apr. 30, 2025, thoughtco.com/the-ancient-maya-and-human-sacrifice-2136173.

2. Britannica Editors. “Maya”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Nov. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maya-people. Accessed 9 December 2025.

3. Wikipedia contributors. “Copán.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 27 Jul. 2025. Web. 9 Dec. 2025.

4. Wikipedia contributors. “Maya civilization.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 Dec. 2025. Web. 9 Dec. 2025.

5. Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Translated by Ford Lewis Battles, Eerdmans, 1975.