Peñol de Cerquín facts for kids
The Peñol de Cerquín (which means "Rock of Cerquín" in Spanish) was a strong fortress built on a mountaintop. It was used by the Lenca people in southern Honduras a long time ago, around 1520–1540. This fortress was very important during the Great Revolt of 1537. This was a big fight against the Spanish invaders.
The Peñol de Cerquín had very strong defenses. A brave Lenca leader named Lempira made the fortress even stronger. He used it as his main base. Even the tough Spanish conquistadores (soldiers) thought this fortress was as strong as any they had seen in Europe.
The first Spanish group to see the Peñol was led by Pedro de Alvarado in early 1536. But he didn't try to attack it. A few months later, Alvarado sent his officer Juan de Chávez to fight the fortress. His first attack failed. The siege (when an army surrounds a place to cut off supplies) also struggled because they ran out of food.
Over the next year, the Spanish had some success in the area. They thought the region was peaceful. But they didn't know that Lempira was secretly making the Peñol stronger. He gathered many warriors and lots of supplies there. Then, in late 1537, he openly declared war. The Spanish captain Alonso de Cáceres began a siege of the fortress in November. In spring of 1538, Lempira agreed to talk with the Spanish. But he was shot and killed during these talks. The Spanish then launched a surprise attack. The Lenca defenders were shocked and lost their courage. The fortress quickly fell to the European invaders.
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What's in a Name?
Cerquín was the name of an old Lenca area. The word peñol is Spanish. It means a rocky hill or a tall, flat-topped rock. So, "Peñol de Cerquín" means "The Rock of Cerquín."
Where is the Peñol de Cerquín?
The Peñol de Cerquín is in the southeast part of the Lempira Department in Honduras. This country is in Central America. The site is located within the town area of Erandique. The Peñol de Cerquín is south of the town. It's on the other side of a mountain range called the Sierra de las Neblinas. It is near a small village called San Antonio La Mina.
What Does It Look Like?
The top of the Peñol de Cerquín is a long, narrow ridge. It has a flat area about 4,000 square meters (about 43,000 square feet). This flat area was made bigger by narrow terraces. These terraces were supported by strong walls on both sides.
Researchers like Doris Stone and Federico Lunardi have described the site. They found defenses, retaining walls, and rocks with carvings. They also found old items like broken pottery, metates (grinding stones), and tools made from obsidian (a sharp volcanic glass). In the 1940s, other researchers climbed the Peñol. They found the remains of several buildings. They also found what might have been a water storage area.
There are many rock carvings at the site. Some are oval or round shapes made by pecking at the rock. Others are square shapes and a spiral. These were cut into the rock with smooth lines. A piece of colorful pottery found there looks like pottery from the Late Classic period (around 600–900 AD) of the Maya people in the Copán valley. The rock carvings suggest that the Peñol de Cerquín was a sacred (holy) place long before Lempira used it as a fortress.
The Spanish Arrive
Pedro de Alvarado passed near the Peñol de Cerquín in 1536. He had about 80 Spanish soldiers and around 3,000 native helpers from Guatemala. Alvarado was in a hurry to help another Spanish group that was in trouble. So, he didn't try to attack the strong fortress. He just moved past it.
Later, Alvarado sent his officer Juan de Chávez south. Chávez had 40–50 Spanish soldiers and 1,500–2,000 native helpers. Chávez reached the Peñol de Cerquín in mid-1536. He found many native warriors gathered there, ready to fight the Spanish. Chávez attacked the fortress. But he was pushed back before he could even reach the bottom of the Peñol. So, he started a siege.
Chávez's group was low on supplies. The native people had removed all the food from the area. Because the fortress was so strong, Chávez's men started to complain. They wanted to go back home to Guatemala. Chávez had to stop the siege.
Other Spanish trips in the area had some success. The Spanish thought the region was mostly peaceful. But the Lenca leader Lempira was secretly gathering a strong army at the Peñol. He also collected weapons and food. Lempira made the already strong natural defenses even better. In late 1537, he openly declared war against the Spanish.
Native people, including women and children, left their villages. They gathered at the fortress. The Peñol de Cerquín was very important to Lempira's fight against the Spanish. If they could hold out there, it would be a powerful symbol for all native people in Honduras and beyond.
To respond to Lempira's challenge, Francisco de Montejo sent his officer Alonso de Cáceres. Montejo had replaced Pedro de Alvarado as governor of Honduras. Cáceres had 80 Spanish soldiers and many native helpers from Mexico and Guatemala. Cáceres arrived at the fortress around November 1, 1537.
Cáceres immediately began a siege. He hoped to starve the defenders into giving up. There were many attacks and counterattacks. The Spanish blocked the eight paths leading to the mountain. But they couldn't get any closer to the fortress. Five Spanish soldiers died in the first fights. Many more were hurt, including Cáceres.
The fighting went on for months. The Spanish found it hard to get supplies through the enemy territory. They were often short of food. In the spring of 1538, the rainy season began, making things even harder for the attackers.
Cáceres was desperate to end the siege. He asked to talk with Lempira. The Lenca general came out in his full battle clothes. He wore a feathered headdress and cotton armor. He refused Cáceres's demand to surrender. At that moment, a Spanish soldier hidden nearby shot Lempira in the head with an arquebus (an early type of gun).
This was the signal for a surprise Spanish attack. The Lenca defenders were shocked and lost their will to fight. The Peñol de Cerquín quickly fell to the invaders. Many warriors gave up without more fighting. Some of them ran away into the mountains. Many older people, women, and children were also captured by the Spanish.
Old Records About the Peñol
The Peñol de Cerquín was mentioned in a letter. This letter was from the conquistador Francisco de Montejo to the king of Spain. It was written on June 10, 1539. Also in 1539, a Spanish bishop named Cristóbal de Pedraza wrote a report. It included stories from Spanish soldiers who were at the siege of the Peñol de Cerquín. In the early 1600s, Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas wrote a huge history book. It was called Historia General de los Hechos de los Castellanos en las Islas y Tierra Firme del Mar Oceáno. This book included a story about the battle of Cerquín.
Who Studied the Site?
The area around the Peñol de Cerquín was studied by an Italian archaeologist named Federico Lunardi in the 1940s. An American archaeologist named Doris Stone also studied it in the 1950s. A French team led by Eric Gelliot did more studies in 2011–2012.
