An INTRODUCTION To The STUDY Of The MAYA HIEROGLYPHS. Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 57. [Hardcover] Morley, Sylvanus Griswold.

Description

Hardcover has wear, mostly around edges spine, and has scuffing. Pages are clean inside and yellowed on outer edges. Binding is secure.

This early 20th-century volume from the Smithsonian Institution’s Bureau of American Ethnology offers a pioneering study of the hieroglyphic writing system of the ancient Maya civilization. Authored by Sylvanus Griswold Morley, one of the most influential Mayanist scholars of his time, this work represents a landmark in the decipherment of Maya script. Morley’s painstaking analysis and interpretations laid the groundwork for subsequent breakthroughs in understanding this sophisticated writing system, which had remained an enigma for centuries after the Spanish conquest. Beyond its scholarly significance, this book provides a fascinating window into the early days of Maya studies, when archaeologists and epigraphers were just beginning to unravel the mysteries of this advanced Mesoamerican culture. For collectors and enthusiasts of Maya history and epigraphy, this vintage publication holds great value as a seminal work in the field, offering insights into both the ancient Maya world and the pioneering efforts to decipher their intricate hieroglyphs.