418 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
west, for a kilometer or more, stretches the valley-bottom, a rich alluvial 
plain, subjected to annual overflow in its lowest parts bordering on the Co- 
pan River, and capable, under cultivation, of supporting a large population. 
In later times, so well chosen was this spot and so admirably adapted 
for a small settlement, that the modern village was also located in the same 
place, the plaza of the one being roughly coincident with the plaza of the 
other, and unfortunately, the building material of the one furnishing the 
building material for the other. 
It appears probable that the religious center of this first settlement was 
the mound of Stela 7, since of the twelve early monuments found at Group 9, 
eight were recovered here, Altars P’ and Q’ and Stele 20, 24, 25, 15, 18, and 7 
(fig. 22, d’, b’, v, q, e’, s, x, and o respectively); and of the remaining four, two, 
Stele 21 and 22, show unmistakable signs of secondary usage in ancient 
times, the former having been built into the hearting of the high mound 
at the southeastern corner of the plaza (fig. 22, k) and the latter being found 
in one of the stone stairways around the small court at the southwestern 
corner of Group 9 (fig. 22, w’), and the remaining two, Altars L’ and M’, 
must have come from nearby. (See fig. 22, g and 1, respectively.) 
Possibly the first monument to be erected in the original settlement on 
the banks of the Rio Sesesmil was Stela 20 in 9.1.10.0.0 (fig. 22, 7), and 
from this time on for the next 160 years, Group 9 grew steadily, increasing 
in size until its religious and civic center occupied practically the whole of 
this little bench jutting out into the valley. 
It has been pointed out that practically all the monuments of the Early 
Period which have been found outside of Group 9 occur in positions strongly 
indicating secondary usage, as follows: 
Altars J’ and K’, in the foundations of Stela 10 (9.10.19.13.0) at Group 12. 
Altar X, in the foundations of Stela 5 (9.13.15.0.0 or 9.14.0.0.0) at Group 8. 
Altar Y, in the foundations of Stela 4 (9.17.12.13.0) at the Main Structure. 
Altar A’, in the foundations of the Hieroglyphic Stairway (9.16.5.0.0) at the 
Main Structure. 
Stela 16, found broken at the Main Structure, possibly not reused. 
Stela 17, reused as a building-block in the Great Plaza at the Main Structure 
after 9.12.5.0.0. 
Stela E, re-erected on the terrace west of the Great Plaza at the Main Structure 
after 9.12.5.0.0. 
Stela P, re-erected in the Western Court at the Main Structure about 9.17.0.0.0. 
Fragment S’, reused as a building-block in the facing of Mound 9 (g.11.15.0.0) 
at the Main Structure. 
That is, with the possible exception of Stela 16, they all occur in posi- 
tions for which they were not originally designed, and hence they may have 
been, and doubtless were, carried to these later positions from some earlier 
group or groups. Finally, since more than half of the early monuments have 
been found at Group 9 (nearly two-thirds, if we include Altar X and Stela 9 
at Groups 8 and to respectively, each within a kilometer of Group 9), it 
