Yuri Knorosov

Yuri Valentinovich Knorosov (Russian: ???? ???????????? ????????; b. November 191922 ? d. March 31 1999) was a Russian linguist, epigrapher and ethnographer, who is renowned for the pivotal role his research played in the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphics.

Critical reactions to his work

Upon the publication of this work from a then hardly-known scholar, Knorosov and his thesis came under some severe and at times dismissive criticism. J. Eric S. Thompson, the noted British scholar regarded by all as the leading Mayanist of his day, lead the attack. Thompson's views at that time were solidly anti-phonetic, and his own large body of detailed research had already fleshed-out a view that the Mayan inscriptions did not record their actual history, and that the glyphs were founded on ideographic principles. His view was the prevailing one in the field, and many other scholars followed suit.

Related Topics:
J. Eric S. Thompson - Mayanist - Ideographic

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The situation was further complicated by Knorosov's paper appearing during the height of the Cold War, and many were able to dismiss his paper as being founded on misguided Marxist-Leninist ideology and polemic. Indeed, in keeping with the mandatory practices of the time, Knorosov's paper was prefaced by a foreward written by the journal's editor which contained digressions and propagandist comments extolling the State-sponsored approach by which Knorosov had succeeded where Western scholarship had failed. However, despite claims to the contrary by several of Knorosov's detractors, Knorosov himself never did include such polemic in his writings.

Related Topics:
Cold War - Marxist - Leninist

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Knorosov persisted with his publications in spite of the criticism and rejection of many Mayanists of the time. He was perhaps shielded to some extent from the ramifications of peer disputation, since his position and standing at the institute was not adversely influenced by criticism from Western academics.

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