 The Gulf of Honduras facilitated easy access to Yucatán and Belize.The valley was agriculturally fertile, and had access through nearby supplies or long distance exchange to luxury goods like spondylus and other marine shells, copper (in the postClassic), feathers (especially quetzal), obsidian, jade, and turquoise.The fact that there were ruins on the top of Cerro Palenque has been known for a long time.