An Introduction to the Study of the Maya Hieroglyphs

Published in 1915, this landmark work opened the mysterious world of Maya hieroglyphs to generations of enthusiasts who had previously been locked out by dense scholarly publications. Sylvanus Griswold Morley, the era's most prominent Maya scholar, guides readers through the intricacies of the only true writing system in pre-Columbian America. He traces the remarkable history of decipherment, giving due credit to pioneers like Ernst Förstemann and J. T. Goodman who cracked the secrets of Maya calendrical mathematics and the complex phonetic-ideographic script. The book reproduces inscriptions from both the Old and New Empires, many of which remained unavailable in any other published source for decades afterward. More than a technical manual, this volume celebrates the Maya hieroglyphs as one of humanity's great intellectual achievements. Whether you are a serious student of Central American archaeology or a curious reader drawn to the enduring puzzles of ancient civilizations, Morley's accessible prose makes the seemingly impenetrable legible at last.