Maya hieroglyphics

Maya hieroglyphics is the common name for the system of writing which was used by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of the Mesoamerican region. The earliest inscriptions which are identifiably Mayan date back to the 1st century BCE, and it was in continuous use up until shortly after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century CE. It reflects the language of the Maya people spoken at that time, known generally today as the Classic Maya language, although there are indications that this Classic language had regional and time-period variants which are noted in the script. It is essentially a logosyllabic system consisting of a highly elaborate set of glyphs which were laboriously painted on ceramics, walls or bark-paper codices, carved in wood or stone, or molded in stucco.

References

• {{Book reference | Author=Schele, Linda & Freidel, David | Title=A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya | Publisher=New York: William Morrow & Co | Year=1990 | ID=ISBN 0688112048}}
• {{Book reference | Author=Soustelle, Jacques | Title=The Olmecs: The Oldest Civilization in Mexico | Year=1984 | Publisher=New York: Doubleday and Co | ID=ISBN 0385172494}}
• {{Book reference | Author=Coe, Michael D. | Title=Breaking the Maya Code (rev.) | Publisher=New York: W.W. Norton & Co., Inc | Year=1999 | ID=ISBN 0500281335}}
• {{Book reference | Author=Schele, Linda & Miller, Mary | Title=The Blood of Kings: Ritual and Dynasty in Maya Art | Publisher=Fort Worth: Kimbell Art Museum | Year=1986 | ID=ISBN 0807612782}}