The Archaeological Discoveries in Honduras

Honduras is a Latino country in Central America. The capital of Honduras is Tegucigalpa. Bordering Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, it has an area of approximately 43,000 square miles, and the population is about 9,038,000 people. About 90% of the people are mestizo or have Spanish or indigenous heritage, and over 50% of the population live in cities or urban areas. The life expectancy is 73 years, which is a couple years more than the world average. Honduras is well-known for precious minerals like gold, silver, and copper, as well as tropical fruits, especially bananas. Honduras also exports lots of coffee and wood. As for climate, southern Honduras is warmer and dryer than northern Honduras. Rainy season is generally from October to February. During that time period, it can rain for weeks on end without stopping.

Copan Ruins is a Mayan archaeological site located in western Honduras. Copan was the capital city of a major Classic period kingdom from the early centuries. The Copan Ruins consist of stone temples, altars, hieroglyphs, and stelae constructed in about 400 to 800 A.D., but they were suddenly abandoned. The 24 km piece of land consists of over 4,500 structures. The beautiful scenery and unique buildings attract many tourists from all over the world.

Archaeologists recently discovered from skeletons that Copan was most likely abandoned around 800 A.D. even though it has been pretty well known since the early 1800’s. Studies show that the city may have been abandoned because it was too unstable. The people suffered from starvation and thirst due to constant droughts. However, we are still not completely sure of the full history of this city, and we are still trying to unveil more information about this breathtaking city. Another famous monument in Honduras is the string of islands 15-30 miles (15-50 kilometers) off the northern coast of Honduras. The three main islands, Utila, Roatán, and Guanaja, are all popular tourist spots for hiking, snorkeling, swimming, diving, and beaches.

The Bay Islands have a long history of conquest, pirate raids, and immigration. In 1502, Columbus arrived at the Bay Islands and proceeded to enslave the indigenous people already there, causing the population to decline. However, after several pirate raids, the Spanish evacuated the island. Then, in 1797, 300 people settled on the island and created a small settlement on the north coast. Waves of immigrants and freed slaves settled in the Bay Islands after slavery was abolished in 1824. Nowadays, the people living on the Bay Islands are culturally different from the rest of Honduras because of the immigrants and freed slaves that came.

The Bay Islands cost a lot of money to visit, especially at the main island Roatán, due to the numerous luxury resorts. It also has many great beaches and quaint villages so you can see how the islands used to look like before the islands became a tourist attraction. Utila, on the other hand, is a great destination for travelers on a budget. You can learn how to dive (with or without a tank) and there are great snorkeling and swimming opportunities. Guanaja is the least popular out of the three main islands. They receive very few travelers and there are only three settlements, but there are beaches and the settlements are full of shops to visit.

Day of the Child, or Children’s Day, is a popular holiday celebrated in Honduras on the tenth of September every year. As the name suggests, Day of the Child celebrates children. On that day, children get sweets, gifts, and toys. They have lots of fun activities like picnics and parties with piñatas. Parents spend a lot of time with their children on that day. When the children go to school, they play games instead of learning. Kids always look forward to Children’s Day.

The cuisine of Honduras is a mix of many cultures, including Maya, Lenca, Garifuna, Spanish, and Caribbean flavors, due to its diverse cultures. Beans, especially refried beans, are essential to some popular Honduran dishes. Corn is very popular too. Dining is not very formal in everyday life in Honduras; meals are eaten in a leisurely manner.