Rio Amarillo

A Classic Period Maya city in western Honduras, first settled around 400 BC, located 20 km northwest of the Copan Ruins. The site contains 53 structures organized around squares, courtyards, and terraces, including residential, central, and ceremonial areas. Approximately 145 burials have been found with high-status grave goods. Underground passages preserve stucco masks with original paint, similar to those at the famous Rosalila temple. Rio Amarillo was the last Maya city in Honduras to be abandoned at the end of the Classic Period, and some buildings were left half-finished, offering insights into Maya construction techniques and collapse.