![]() Following determination of the sign’s function (a CV phonetic sign) and canonical reading value (me), its iconic origins are explored and determined to have arisen acrophonically from the Eastern Ch'olan term /mech/ “snail shell”. The evidence in support of this particular decipherment measures up well against the aforementioned general principles, and is additionally supported by controlled contexts (sufficient in number and variety to allow testing), by the reconstructed grammatical rules and orthographic conventions of Classic Maya writing, and, not least, by the critical presence of biscripts and similar script-external constraints. The principles are then applied to Maya hieroglyphic writing in a detailed case study of the decipherment of the Maya phonetic sign /me/. This paper provides a detailed review of the principal assumptions, theoretical orientations, and working methodologies of archaeological decipherment, indicating how these perspectives have guided ongoing work in script comparison, stimulated investigations into the origins, development, and demise of writing systems, and served as a yardstick against which to measure proposed decipherments. The course combines lectures with seminar-style discussions, as well as some hands-on exploration of Pre-Columbian and Early Colonial texts on different media from the collections of the Peabody Museum and Harvard libraries. The history of the study of writing systems in Mesoamerica is also brought into view with a particular emphasis on current discussions and recent advancements in our understanding of the indigenous scripts. ![]() It highlights how specific features of Mesoamerican writing systems reflect broader regional traditions with respect to the role of writing in social, political, and religious life of ancient societies. ![]() The course offers a survey of Mesoamerican writing systems that centers on the basic properties of the scripts and their uses. The region, known as Mesoamerica, is characterized by an amazing variety of indigenous writing systems, from phonetic ones like Maya hieroglyphs, to largely pictographic notations such as Mixtec records. This seminar explores the role of writing broadly defined in the social, political, and religious fabric of ancient civilizations of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |