Copán, Honduras Photograph by Jeff Robbins, S/V Vesper January 2003

Evidence indicates that people have been living in the Copán valley since at least 1200 BC. Graves have been found dated to 900-600 BC. Five separate phases of building on this site have been identified; the final phase, dating from AD 650 to 820, is what can be seen today. But buried underneath the visible ruins are layers of other ruins, which archaeologists are exploring by means of underground tunnels.

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