This alphabet proved to be problematic due to communication errors between Landa and his Yucatec Mayan-speaking consultant. Landa’s alphabet was established, as an attempt to write out Maya equivalents in the Roman alphabet. As part of his rehabilitation, Landa worked on a publication that described Maya life, their calendar, as well as their writing system. Some of Diego de Landa Calderón’s actions were considered so extreme, to the point where he was recalled back to Spain. How were these glyphs deciphered to begin with and who were involved? According to Rogers (2005), decipherment of Maya glyphs began with the very same person who repressed Maya culture and ordered for Maya texts to be burnt during the Spanish conquest.
The Maya writing system of Mesoamerica is one of 3 writing systems in the world that developed independently (the other two being Cuneiform from Mesopotamia and oracle bone writing in China). Seemingly reminiscent of Egyptian hieroglyphs, early discoverers termed the Maya script as hieroglyphs-or glyphs-despite there being no relation between the two writing systems. The Maya script was used to write the Classic Mayan language, ancestral language to the other Mayan languages of the modern world such as Yucatec, Ixil, and Q’echi’. Serpent Head and Maya Glyphs at Ek’ Balam (Source: Wikipedia )įor years, the Maya script remained a mystery to the world, even to the Maya people of today. Particularly mesmerized by the detailed inscriptions on the stelae (stone monuments) and building walls, I was intrigued: Are these simply pictures? Logograms? Was there a systematic way to interpret these symbols? The ancient Maya civilization existed from around 2000 BC to 1600 AD, and left behind a plethora of cultural artifacts.
Nevertheless, I was fascinated and amazed by the sophisticated pyramids, monuments, and carvings that had weathered the test of time.Ĭhichén Itza, like other famous cities such as Palanque, Uxmal, Copan, and Tikal, flourished while Europe was trudging through the Dark Ages. I had the chance to visit the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico in January 2017, but I only managed to visit Ek’ Balam and Chichén Itza while I was there. As I stood atop the Acropolis in Ek’ Balam, an archeological site in Yucatán Mexico, I was overwhelmed by the vast expanse of lush forestry that engulfed the Maya ruins. “Only a small percentage of the actual site has been unearthed,” I overheard a local guide explain, as he pointed toward a nearby hill that was covered in trees.Įk’ Balam (which means “black jaguar” in Yucatec Maya) is one of many Maya sites in the regions of Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche, Chiapas en Tabasco in Mexico Guatemala Belize El Savador and parts of Honduras.
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