Details of the location and orientation of the G Altars of the Archaeological Park of Copán, Honduras

Abstract

The goal of this research has been to determine whether the three altars; G1, G2 and G3, located on the eastern side of the Great Plaza of the Copan Archaeological Park, between stelae F and H, currently have the same longitudinal orientation set by the ancient Maya. After a careful and comparative revision of various notes, references and descriptions made by different observers, particularly archaeologists who throughout time have included altars G as part of their enquiries and field work, and after carrying out observations and archaeoastronomical analyses of sunsets, in the middle of altars G (G1, G2, G3), we have concluded that it is most likely that the current orientation of the G altars (G1, G2, and G3) is the original orientation set by the Sixteenth Ruler of Copan, marking with the position of the longitudinal axes the north-south directions, extended to the Stelae F and H, and the east-west direction, this one encompassing Stela 4.