In late 1998, in the mountains of Honduras (near the border with Guatemala) began the evacuation of the local population in the Copan valley. Special event was due to the danger which carried with them coming here hurricane Mitch.

Civilians warned of mortal danger and urged to temporarily leave their homes. However, as often happens, even the danger of death has prompted the relocation of a few. While hurricane Mitch, as promised, rushed in a number of settlements between the cities of Copan-Ruinas and Copan-Acropolis and not a joke there raged. Mitch almost completely wiped off the face of the earth several villages. Human victims, fortunately, has turned out a bit. And immediately after the hurricane was exhausted, on the place of his "activities" began rescue work. It was then that road workers, which paved the road between border with Guatemala city El Florido and Copan-Ruinam and helped rescue workers to search for the wounded, found under the ground strange building. Even non-experts immediately guessed that these structures can be of great interest to archaeologists and historians, who urgently told about the discovery.

First report was presented to the Director of the Archaeological Park Kopana Mr. Seiichi Nakamura. But he did not hurry with the trip. He sent in his place two students-historians. Future archaeologists showed admirable zeal in the excavations. If workers-workers found the usual construction of the Maya, the students found close to something that called in scientific circles real sensation. Soon Nakamura learned the shocking news: his students found numerous graves of Indians Maya times pre-Hispanic invasion.

Calmness and pessimism Nakamura easy to explain: it was thought that in this area there can't be any historical monuments or the remains of the pre-Columbian era. But facts pointless to argue. Even a superficial examination of graves no doubt that it detected something extraordinary. And the authorities had to fork out a full-scale excavations with the participation of real experts and not only workers, road workers and two students. However, to start serious excavations and research of found objects managed only through the year. Moreover objective reasons for such long delays were noticed.

A stone stele of Kopana

Soon, under the ground began to discover the mysterious structures and buildings. There have been found more than 20. It is curious that one of them was a jutting rock about two meters and it has initially taken for regular rock, covered with moss and bushes. Today found 37 graves of the Maya. In turn, in underground structures found 11 niches with posthumous gifts, mainly ceramic tableware, figurines made of jade and made of bone. Among these "gifts" alone stood out big deep dish made of stone, painted in bright red. But all findings seemed scientists nonsense, when incremental search led them to a large and unusual crypt. It was noticeable that the burial belongs not to the mere mortal. A similar burials were found eight years ago in Copan-Acropolis: there are the remains of the Royal person of the Maya.

Discovered the tomb is a spacious building with a dome-shaped top overlap. The inner premises built specially treated tufa, plaster, painted in red.

Leader (or his spouse is not yet clear) after the death put on the wide stone platform, which rests on six stone pedestals, as it is among Mayan - head to the East. Under a stone platform has encountered numerous ceramic vessels, covered with red pigment (presumably - haematite).

Among the gifts of the Royal personage is necessary to allocate the stunning carved chest jewelry jade. One of them, 25 cm in length, with images of the Godhead. Imagery of this kind is characteristic of the early classical style. Another breast decoration a little smaller - 20 see It differs in that it is covered with matte gold and matte paint. Such decorations were worn only by the rulers of the Maya.

Although laboratory tests of the remains of the Royal person are still only in the early stages, but already we can confidently say that the age burial belongs to 400-600, Archaeologists and historians of Honduras are confident that this finding will soon help scientists to uncover some of the mysteries of the Maya.

Earth keeps a huge mass of secrets and mysteries that can be very useful to mankind. We still have a lot and a lot of work to do before we can solve at least some of them.