Description

Although not all these beards are on portraits of kings, the best-known beards, on deep-relief carved stone stelae, are indeed portraits of the kings of Copan during the Late Classic. The other bearded individuals are royals or (on the Sky Band Bench) are supernatural portraits allied with the ruling class.

I am not going to delve into the question of whether these beards are makeup to show off for ceremonies; what counts is that the sculptors are showing kings and colleagues as clearly having beards.

Date:
January 2024

Editor:
Vivian Hurtado

Designer:
David Arrivillaga

Photographer:
Nicholas Hellmuth