An Introduction to the Study of the Maya Hieroglyphs

by Sylvanus G. Morley

Best introduction to the topic — easily accessible to beginners. Extremely full in interpretation; very thorough in exposition of variants and unusual features, with reproductions of many inscriptions unavailable elsewhere. Material from Old and New Empires. Includes an Introduction by noted Mayologist J. Eric S. Thompson.

Genres: History, Archaeology, Nonfiction

284 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1975

About the author

Sylvanus Griswold "Vay" Morley was an archaeologist, epigrapher, and Mayanist scholar who made significant contributions toward the study of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in the early 20th century.

Morley made extensive excavations of the Maya site of Chichen Itza that he directed on behalf of the Carnegie Institution. He also published several large compilations and treatises on Maya hieroglyphic writing, and wrote popular accounts on the Maya for a general audience.

To his contemporaries, "Vay" Morley was one of the leading Mesoamerican archaeologists of his day. Although more recent developments in the field have resulted in a re-evaluation of his theories and works, his publications, particularly on calendric inscriptions, are still cited. In his role as director of various projects sponsored by the Carnegie Institution, he oversaw and encouraged many others who later established notable careers in their own right. His commitment and enthusiasm for Maya studies helped inspire the necessary sponsorship for projects that would ultimately reveal much about ancient Maya civilization.

Morley also conducted espionage in Mexico on behalf of the United States during World War I, but the scope of those activities only came to light well after his death. His archaeological field work in Mexico and Central America provided suitable cover for investigating German activities and anti-American activity at the behest of the United States' Office of Naval Intelligence.

Reviews

[Vicky Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deciphering the Maya Inscriptions and Codices

The ruins of the world of the ancient Maya in Mexico and the inscriptions on the monuments, and the codices such as the Dresden Codex, were uncovered in the twentieth century. Much of what has been written about them is well beyond textbook level. But, Morley created this definitive guide for the layman interested in understanding the Maya systems of measuring the days and counting in general. He basically broke many heavier works from various archeologists down into this one small introductory work. While still heavy in the details of a complex subject with many moving parts, the author uses language that should be navigable to the average person familiar with reading nonfiction. The subject matter is fascinating! It is well worth the journey.

Morley starts with about 20+ pages of background on the Maya (about 7% of the book) before delving into the subject of the Maya Hieroglyphs. This part describes the history, warfare, and a bit on the geography of Yucatan and the South region. If you enjoy this part, you may choose to pursue other books for more on the history. But, the rest of the book plunges into the identification of the glyphs that the Maya inscribed on the sculpture and codices left behind. The reader will find a dozen tables, more than one hundred illustrations, and 1 map. Besides the pages of illustrations of the many glyphs you learn to read, there are drawings of the Tonalamatl wheel, diagrams of the Calendar Round, the Initial Series, Secondary Series, and other counting methods.

About 40% of the material is presented on a Knowledge level, and will just need to be memorized. This includes the Maya list of day and month names. You will need to study the glyphs to recognize them on sight if you are interested in that. Another 40% of the material is on the Comprehension level (if you're rating it based on Bloom's Taxonomy of the levels of learning.) It ends with about 10% of the material covering what may be seen as Application level material. The other 3% is scattered throughout in the form of arguments and explanations since the hieroglyphs are still very much a mystery. That would be on an Evaluation level. Those forays into the deep end are easy enough to recognize and skim or skip if you don't want to go there.

I have enjoyed practicing drawing out these glyphs myself, which is something I will continue 'playing with' in future. They really are captivating. This is a lot of material. I have many pages of notes, because my paperback will sadly have to be returned to the public library soon. (I've rechecked it the maximum number of times already.) The book is almost 50 years old, but is still considered the definitive handbook for beginners.

[Jason Baldauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely detailed and well researched text on how to read and interpret Mayan date glyphs. Unfortunately, aside from the informative introduction on calendrical systems and Mayan gods, it does not go further for the casual history buff wanting to learn about the history of the glyphs and what it tells us. For that individual (like myself) this book is repetitive, mildly droning and will leaves you wanting. What this book excels at, and I mean EXCELS at, is Mayan dating, and it goes into extreme detail and explanation. If your career will be in anthropology and specifically field work in this subject, you need to have this in your backpack.

[Glenn Hammer · Rating 3 out of 5]

good but dated.