Biologia Centrali-Americana, or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America . trees, and so thickly covered with fallen stones, that no trace of a stairway can be madeout, although in all probability one formerly existed. There is a distinct flight of steps [No. 12] from the terrace on the west of the templeleading down to the Western Court, the floor of which is about 30 feet above the levelof the Great Plaza to the north. An irregular square terrace [No. 13] projects into this court on the west side, andthe remains of three stone houses overlook the d
Biologia Centrali-Americana, or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America . trees, and so thickly covered with fallen stones, that no trace of a stairway can be madeout, although in all probability one formerly existed. There is a distinct flight of steps [No. 12] from the terrace on the west of the templeleading down to the Western Court, the floor of which is about 30 feet above the levelof the Great Plaza to the north. An irregular square terrace [No. 13] projects into this court on the west side, andthe remains of three stone houses overlook the downward slope to the west, and formthe boundary of the court in that direction. Standing in this court are a tall carved monolith (P) and a square stone altar (Q)which will be hereafter figured and described, and scattered around are numerous piecesof broken sculptured stones, which no doubt formed part of the exterior ornaments ofthe temples or of the slopes of the high foundations on which they stood. COPAN. 23 The position of these fragments is shown in the portion of the general plan (Plate I.)repeated a. is a flat slab, now much broken, measuring 4 feet 7 inches X 3 feet 8 inchesX1 foot; there are grooves cut in the edges, as if it had been fitted into awall. On the surface is a carving, in medium relief, of a human figure sittingwith legs crossed and clutching in its left hand an ornament, in which twosmall animals heads can be indistinctly made out, and holding it to its breast,whilst in the right hand is held an object similar to that shown in the handsof most of the figures in Plate VIII. The figure is seated above two intertwined plumed serpents.
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