The Temple 22 Façade Reconstruction Project, Copán, Honduras

Hypothetically reconstructed pieces on the façade

Fortunately, computer technology surmounts many of the challenges we face in reconstructing the sculpted façades of 10L-22 (as mentioned above these are: sample size, global distribution of sculpture, unwieldy nature of pieces and lack of area to reconstruct the building). In addition to working with the actual sculpture, I use the computer software program Adobe Photoshop to hypothetically reconstruct digital scale photos of sculpture pieces on a digital scale elevation of the building. I scanned Hasso Hohmann’s scale drawings of the south façade of 10L-22 (Hohmann and Vogrin 1982). I then took the scanned black and white scale photographs of individual sculpture pieces and pasted these on to the digital elevation to determine the arrangement of the pieces of the façade. I base this preliminary reconstruction on fall patterns of sculpture as described in excavation reports and maps, patterns of iconography at Copán and in the Maya area, and features of the actual stones such as depth of relief, angle and length of tenon. This method of pasting digital photos onto a digital scale elevation of the structure enables me to try out various reconstructions without lifting heavy pieces of sculpture or having to consistently redraw the building’s dimensions.

Out of a total of 3,744 pieces belonging to 10L-22, to date I have reconstructed about 190 pieces on the lower façade, and 225 on the upper façade. Needless to say, much more analysis remains to be done. However, using this approach I was able to quickly determine that there was most definitely a second story to 10L-22, perhaps even a third; the sheer amount of sculpture attributed to the building simply would not have fit on the lower level of the temple (despite the fact that Hohmann’s drawing renders the area above the vault spring shorter than it would have actually been). There had to be at least one additional level of the building. However no evidence on Structure 10L-22 exists to indicate the dimensions of these other stories. Whether these were in the form of a roof comb such as that found intact on the Rosalila structure or a combination of second story and roof-comb remains to be determined. Fortunately other buildings at Copán have intact second stories and suggest likely proportions and features. The reconstruction process continues.

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