Pre-Columbian Honduras

The territory of current Honduras was inhabited by two culturally distinct peoples: the Maya civilization and the Nahua.

Culture

These cultures reached big attainments in the diverse fields of the human knowledge.

Agriculture

They were promoted by the development of a varied agriculture (bean, cocoa, chili pepper, etc.) and had big irrigation systems which guaranteed a suitable production for his numerous populations.

Arts

They developed techniques of great sophistication in fabrics and the ceramics. They developed an intense and varied trade.

Sciences

They reached a high scientific development in mathematics and astronomy; in addition to architecture and sculpture, that employed in the construction of big cities.[1]

Toltec cultures

In the northwestern section of Honduras, villages with Tolteca influences predominated, between them the following:

  • The Náhuatl: lived in the valley of Naco and Trujillo;
  • The Ch'orti' people were located in Cortés, Copán and Ocotepeque
  • The Lencas, that extended by the departments of Santa Bárbara, Lempira, Intibucá, La Paz, Comayagua, Francisco Morazán and Valley and part of what today comprises the territory of El Salvador.[2]

Nomadic and semi-nomadic cultures

The rest of the Honduran territory is inhabited by villages from the south of the continent, with a nomadic and semi-nomadic cultures, governed by relations of communal production.

Between these villages found the following:

Into this group, falls the majority of the population of the country.[3]

Lencas

The largest population is the Lencas who, when the Spanish arrived, were the most widespread and organised of the groups of the country.

They lived in populations of considerable size, with an average of 350 houses and much more of 500 pobladores.[4] Although scientific controversies exist on the descendants and origin of the Lencas, of agreement to Rodolfo Baron Castro, are the direct rests heirs of the mayas, that did not follow the exodus that gave end to the Ancient Empire. At the arrival of the Spaniards, they were established in the territory that today comprise the Republics of El Salvador and Honduras."[5]

The area maya comprises what in our days are the countries of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico.[6]

The Maya flowered in these countries in the first fifteen centuries of the Christian era.[7] Causes unknown to this day, caused the abandonment and destruction of Copán and other Mayan cities, that in the period of the Spanish conquest were no longer more than ruins. Hunger, plagues, internal wars have been proposed as causes of the abandonment.[8]

See also

References
  1. Becerra, Longino (1981), La comunidad primitiva de Honduras [The Primitive Community of Honduras] (in Spanish), Editorial Universitaria.
  2. Rivas, Ramón D. (1993). Pueblos indígenas y garífuna de Honduras (in Spanish). Tegucigalpa: Editorial Universitaria. ISBN 99926-15-53-2. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  3. Stone, Doris (1940). "Introducción". In Stone, Doris (ed.). Demarcación de la culturas pre-colombinas del centro y norte de Honduras [Demarcation of Central and North Honduran Pre-Columbian Cultures] (in Spanish). Tegucigalpa.
  4. Chapman, Anne (1978). "Introducción". Los Lencas de Honduras (in Spanish). Tegucigalpa.
  5. Baron Castro, Rodolfo (1978). La Población de El Salvador [The Population of El Salvador] (in Spanish). Tegucigalpa: UCA Editores.
  6. "Honduras antes de Colon" [Honduras before Columbus]. angelfire.com. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  7. Aplícano Mendieta, Pedro (1969). Los mayas en Honduras [The Mayas in Honduras] (in Spanish). Tegucigalpa: Impr. y Papelería Calderón. Retrieved 14 February 2011. Los mayas florecieron en estos países en los primeros 15 siglos de la era cristiana
  8. Swiggett, Glen Levin (1917). "Introducción". Proceedings of the Second Pan American Scientific Congress. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
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