Latest news with #Copán
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ancient DNA reveals how Mayan civilisation collapsed
Skeletons unearthed from the ruins of the ancient city of Copán in Honduras have yielded clues to the collapse of the Mayan civilisation. Copán, now a Unesco World Heritage site, thrived during the Classic Maya period between the third and 10th centuries AD. Previous research has shown that it was a major crossroads city for four centuries, connecting the lower Central America to South America. 'In 426 or 427CE, the city witnessed the establishment of a royal dynasty, which endured for about 400 years,' according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology. Excavations at the ruins have so far focused on a royal tomb where rulers were likely buried along with sacrificial victims. But the genetic origins of the people of ancient Copán have been unclear. The new genome study shows where this population most likely came from and reveals the city 'dramatically shrank' around 1,200 years ago. Researchers assessed genomes of seven human remains excavated at the Copán archaeological site, including a person who may have been the ancient city's ruler. The analysis also included DNA data from ancient Mayan sites in North, Central, and South America that have already been published in previous studies. It revealed, for the first time, the origins and dynamics of the ancient city's population during the Classic period, shedding more light on the civilisation's collapse. It found that the ancestral population of the Copan people interacted with northern regions, including those in Mexico and Belize. That the Maya people had connections with those in the central highlands of Mexico had only been theorised in the past. The analysis also pointed to a strong genomic connection of the people of the Copán ruins with modern Maya, including the contemporary populations in the Andes, Brazil, and Argentina. Another key finding from the study is that the population size of the Maya civilisation decreased vastly during the late Classic period. This result corresponds to the period when other Classic Maya cities were also abandoned, researchers said. 'A decline is also observable in the Andes at around the same time. Nevertheless, the population size in the Andes rebounded in later periods, possibly linked to the rise and expansion of the Inca civilisation,' they said. A decline in the population density led to the eventual collapse of the Classic Maya civilisation, they concluded. This was between the 9th and 11th centuries, a period marked by frequent severe droughts that contributed to civil conflict, societal instability, and eventual collapse. 'Estimates of effective population size suggest a decline at the end of the Classic period, when Classic Maya civilisation experienced widespread destabilisation and collapse,' the study noted.
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Ancient DNA reveals how Mayan civilisation collapsed
Skeletons unearthed from the ruins of the ancient city of Copán in Honduras have yielded clues to the collapse of the Mayan civilisation. Copán, now a Unesco World Heritage site, thrived during the Classic Maya period between the third and 10th centuries AD. Previous research has shown that it was a major crossroads city for four centuries, connecting the lower Central America to South America. 'In 426 or 427CE, the city witnessed the establishment of a royal dynasty, which endured for about 400 years,' according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology. Excavations at the ruins have so far focused on a royal tomb where rulers were likely buried along with sacrificial victims. But the genetic origins of the people of ancient Copán have been unclear. The new genome study shows where this population most likely came from and reveals the city 'dramatically shrank' around 1,200 years ago. Researchers assessed genomes of seven human remains excavated at the Copán archaeological site, including a person who may have been the ancient city's ruler. The analysis also included DNA data from ancient Mayan sites in North, Central, and South America that have already been published in previous studies. It revealed, for the first time, the origins and dynamics of the ancient city's population during the Classic period, shedding more light on the civilisation's collapse. It found that the ancestral population of the Copan people interacted with northern regions, including those in Mexico and Belize. That the Maya people had connections with those in the central highlands of Mexico had only been theorised in the past. The analysis also pointed to a strong genomic connection of the people of the Copán ruins with modern Maya, including the contemporary populations in the Andes, Brazil, and Argentina. Another key finding from the study is that the population size of the Maya civilisation decreased vastly during the late Classic period. This result corresponds to the period when other Classic Maya cities were also abandoned, researchers said. 'A decline is also observable in the Andes at around the same time. Nevertheless, the population size in the Andes rebounded in later periods, possibly linked to the rise and expansion of the Inca civilisation,' they said. A decline in the population density led to the eventual collapse of the Classic Maya civilisation, they concluded. This was between the 9th and 11th centuries, a period marked by frequent severe droughts that contributed to civil conflict, societal instability, and eventual collapse. 'Estimates of effective population size suggest a decline at the end of the Classic period, when Classic Maya civilisation experienced widespread destabilisation and collapse,' the study noted.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Crowley's Copán Expands Shipping Capabilities for U.S., Central America and Caribbean
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Copán, the second vessel in Crowley's Avance Class fleet of LNG-powered containerships, has begun its inaugural commercial operations from the Port of Jacksonville, Florida (JAXPORT), further expanding the company's capacity and enhancing speed of ocean shipping for the Caribbean Basin. Named for one of the most important archaeological sites of the Mayan civilization in Honduras, Copán was specifically designed to quickly and frequently deliver cargo while using lower emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) for fuel. These capabilities make the Avance Class vessels — pronounced in Spanish "ah-bahn-seh" with the English meaning of advance — uniquely suited to quickly transport perishable goods like food and pharmaceuticals, as well as retail products, apparel, breakbulk cargo between the U.S., Central America and the Dominican Republic. The 1,400-TEU (20-foot equivalent units) ships can serve diverse container sizes for dry cargo and feature capacity for 300 refrigerated containers in their weekly port calls. "Copán and its sister ships continue our investments to innovate our frequent and fast ocean carrier capabilities to meeting the critical needs of customer in the U.S., Central America and the Dominican Republic," said Brett Bennett, senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Logistics. "These vessels build on Crowley's decades-long commitment for diverse and robust supply chain solutions in the Caribbean Basin while advancing LNG as a solution in the maritime industry's ongoing energy transition." With its name, Copán and its sister ships embody Central America's rich cultural heritage while reflecting the beauty and significance of this extraordinary part of the world. Not far from the border with Guatemala, Copán is a former citadel with public squares that reveal its three main stages of development before the city was abandoned in the early 10th Century. Crowley initiated service of the first ship in its Avance Class, Quetzal, in April, and two more ships are expected to initiate service this year under charter with Eastern Pacific Shipping. About CrowleyCrowley is a private-held, U.S.-owned and -operated maritime, energy and logistics solutions company. For more than 130 years, its portfolio of businesses has provided innovative ocean and land transportation services for the commercial and government sectors. As a global ship owner and operator, Crowley serves 36 nations and island territories and is one of the leading employers of U.S. mariners. Visit to learn more. Contact: Torey Vogel Senior Specialist, Corporate Communications (904) 726-4536 David DeCamp Director, Corporate Communications (904) 727-4263 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Crowley Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
