An Archaeological Study Tour
Guatemala with Copán
November
7 - 22, 2009
Led
by Professor
William Saturno, Boston University
Guatemala is a land of quetzal birds and jaguars, of volcanoes
and waterfalls, and of still trackless rain forests. Most
of all, Guatemala is a land of history. It was the homeland
of the ancient Maya civilization, whose roots lead back
to sites as early as 2000 BC, and whose climax during
the Classic period (250-900 AD) brought forth such fabled
sites as Copán, Quiriguá and Tikal. Towering
temple-pyramids of classic Maya sites reach dizzyingly
skyward above the carved stone stelae that proclaim the
glories of kings — whose names echo again through
the halls of history now that the ancient script of the
Maya has been deciphered.
In the 16th century, Spanish Conquistadors crushed Maya
civilization and imposed their own art and symbols. The
horrors of the Inquisition and the exploitation of the
past have dimmed, and we are left with reminders that
there was also beauty in the Spanish Colonial art and
architecture. The serene streets of Antigua, first Spanish
capital of Guatemala, and the colonial churches of Guatemala
City are glimpses of this era.
Although ancient Maya civilization perished, Maya culture
persists in the quiet villages of the Guatemalan mountains,
where old customs and costumes still prevail. In the traditional
villages that nestle at the feet of the volcanoes ringing
Lake Atitlán, and in the bustling market at Chichicastenango,
Maya is still the predominant language and life goes on
in ways that have remained unchanged for centuries.
Saturday, November 7: GUATEMALA CITY: Depart
home city arriving in Guatemala City in the evening. Transfer
to Camino Real Hotel.
Sunday, November 8: GUATEMALA CITY: After
an orientation lecture, we will visit the Museo Nacional
de Arqueología y Etnología, with its immense
collection of Maya treasures. We continue to Kaminaljuyú,
one of the oldest Pre-Classic ceremonial centers in Guatemala.
Excavations here have uncovered beautiful artifacts, which
we will see in the Miraflores Museum. This evening we
will meet for our opening dinner with Professor Saturno.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Monday, November 9: GUATEMALA CITY: Touring
begins at the Popul Vuh Museum, named for the mythical
history of the Quiché Maya. This museum houses
extraordinary examples of Maya art and ceramics, as well
as fine religious art dating from the 16th to 18th centuries.
We then visit the Museo Ixchel, renowned for its superb
collection of Maya textiles. The day ends with a tour
of the city’s highlights, including the Centro Cultural
Miguel Angel Asturias, the capital’s national theater.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Tuesday, November 10: RÍO HONDO: Our
drive northeast from Guatemala City is through a tropical
countryside lush with banana plantations. The Classic
Maya site of Quiriguá, situated on the banks of
the Motagua River, is noted for its sculptured monuments,
including the tallest known Maya stelae, and large zoomorphic
altars depicting surreal creatures of the underworld.
We continue to Río Hondo to overnight at the Longarone
Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Wednesday, November 11: COPÁN: Crossing
the border into Honduras, we visit Copán, one of
the greatest Maya cities of the Classic period. Copán
is particularly exciting because ongoing archaeological
research brings new discoveries to light each year. Touring
includes the Great Plaza and Hieroglyphic Stairway, silhouetted
against the verdant jungle, as well as the Archaeological
Museum. The lovely garden of Hotel Marina provides an
opportunity to relax at the end of the day and spot some
of the region’s exotic birds.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Thursday, November 12: COPÁN: We
continue our touring at the Copán Acropolis and
the Sepulturas section of elite residences. Preparations
have been made for tourists to visit the tunnels, where
excavations have revealed deeply buried and beautifully
preserved architecture from the early periods.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Friday, November 13: ANTIGUA: We
cross the border back into Guatemala and drive to Antigua,
resplendent in its 17th- and 18th-century architecture.
Our night in this lovely town will be spent at the charming
Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, set amid the ruins of a 17th-century
monastery.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Saturday, November 14: CHICHICASTENANGO: This
morning, touring takes us to the colonial sites of Antigua,
including visits to the church and monastery of San Francisco,
the Plaza de Armas and the convent of Las Capuchinas.
We then depart for Chichicastenango, driving over steep
mountain roads and through native villages. Indians from
the surrounding villages come to Chichicastenango’s
colorful Sunday market to trade their produce and handicrafts.
We will also witness a strange combination of Maya and
Catholic rites as the local Indians burn incense and present
offerings to their Maya gods outside the church, and then
perform Catholic rituals inside. Overnight at the Mayan
Inn.
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Sunday, November 15: PANAJACHEL: Some
of us may wish to get up early to attend mass at the church
of Santo Tomás or to climb the hill of Pascual
Abaj, a smoke-blackened stone idol, where we might observe
shamans in the practice of their rituals. After free time
to explore this very colorful market, we drive south to
Lake Atitlán. This afternoon we will visit some
of the villages along the lake by boat. Hotel Atitlán
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Monday, November 16: GUATEMALA CITY: The
morning will be at leisure giving us time to enjoy the
lake and the nearby nature preserve and butterfly farm.
We then return to Guatemala City and the Camino Real Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Tuesday, November 17: TIKAL/FLORES: This
morning an early flight brings us to Flores. We continue
to Río de la Pasión for a beautiful boat
trip through the jungle to the site of Seibal, perched
on a high bluff. We make our way through the vegetation
to the site, which includes a rare circular temple as
well as several restored temples and intricately carved
stelae. We will retrace our journey, ending at the Camino
Real Tikal, our hotel for four nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Wednesday, November 18: TIKAL/FLORES: Our
touring today will take us on an unpaved road into the
dense jungle to Uaxactún. This Pre-Classic city,
dating to 600 BCE, struggled with Tikal for political
and military supremacy until, aided by Teotihuacán,
it was finally conquered by Tikal in 378 CE.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Thursday, Friday, November 19 & 20: TIKAL/FLORES:
These
full days will be spent exploring the magnificent ancient
city of Tikal. One of the largest Maya cities, Tikal has
been under excavation and reconstruction since 1950. Still
only a small portion of the city, which may have covered
40 square miles, has been explored. Our visit will include
steep pyramids, palaces, ball courts, huge plazas, temples,
shrines and paved causeways. The finds from these vast
excavations are housed in two museums we will visit. There
will also be time to explore the site on our own.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Saturday,
November 21: GUATEMALA CITY: After
a final visit to Tikal, we board an afternoon flight back
to Guatemala City. This evening we will meet for our farewell
dinner at one of the city's new restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Sunday, November 22: Transfer
to the airport for our flights to the United States.
Meals: Breakfast
