Cracking the Maya Code (El código maya) PBS Nova 360 x 488

Summary

This documentary follows the incredible journey of decoding the mysterious Maya script, which had puzzled explorers and scholars for centuries. It delves into the Maya civilization's achievements, their lost cities, and the key role of their hieroglyphic writings. From the destruction of ancient texts by Spanish Inquisition to breakthroughs by researchers like Tatiana Proskouriakoff and Yuri Knorosov, the story unfolds how linguists and archaeologists pieced together the Maya language. The ultimate decipherment reveals a complex history of rulers, warfare, and the Maya worldview, transforming our understanding of this remarkable civilization.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Maya civilization had a unique and sophisticated writing system, known as hieroglyphs, that was deeply mysterious for centuries.
• 😀 The Maya script was thought to be uncrackable, leading many to believe it was just symbolic or pictorial rather than a true writing system.
• 😀 Early explorers, such as Diego de Landa, sought to destroy Maya texts, associating them with 'devil worship' during the Spanish Inquisition.
• 😀 Despite destruction, four Maya books survived the Spanish conquest, providing a key to understanding their writing system.
• 😀 Maya hieroglyphs were used to document a history of rulers and significant events, revealing the civilization's rich history.
• 😀 Maya scribes were literate, and their glyphs offered insight into their culture, with stories and historical records etched in stone, pottery, and codices.
• 😀 The rediscovery of Maya texts, particularly The Dresden Codex, was pivotal in starting the decipherment of their language.
• 😀 Scholars such as Tatiana Proskouriakoff made crucial contributions by recognizing that the glyphs told the life stories of rulers, not just astronomical or religious information.
• 😀 The decipherment of the Maya script revealed a civilization with complex governance and rituals, with significant focus on time and astronomy.
• 😀 Yuri Valentinovich Knorosov's contributions in the mid-20th century, including recognizing the mixed logographic and phonetic nature of the script, helped unlock its meaning.
• 😀 The decipherment of Maya hieroglyphs is a groundbreaking achievement that has provided us with a direct connection to the ancient Maya people and their worldview.

Q & A

What role did Diego de Landa play in the destruction of Maya culture?

Diego de Landa, a Spanish friar, played a key role in destroying Maya culture by conducting an Inquisition against the Maya people. He burned thousands of Maya books, which included valuable historical and cultural records, in an effort to convert them to Christianity, believing their ancient writing system was associated with devil worship.

Why were the Maya hieroglyphs so difficult to decipher for centuries?

Maya hieroglyphs were difficult to decipher because they combined logograms (symbols representing whole words) and phonetic elements (representing sounds). This complexity, along with a lack of understanding about their linguistic structure and the historical context, made it challenging for explorers and scholars to understand the script for centuries.

What discovery by Tatiana Proskouriakoff changed the understanding of Maya hieroglyphs?

Tatiana Proskouriakoff made a groundbreaking discovery when she realized that the Maya glyphs on stelae (stone monuments) represented historical events, specifically the lives and reigns of rulers. Her insight revealed that the glyphs were not just about time and astronomical events, but also told the stories of Maya kings and their dynasties.

How did the rediscovery of Maya codices help in deciphering the script?

The rediscovery of Maya codices, such as The Dresden Codex, played a crucial role in deciphering the script. These codices contained complex hieroglyphs that offered insights into the Maya calendar, astronomy, and the meanings behind certain glyphs. Studying them allowed scholars to make key connections and develop theories about the script's phonetic and logographic elements.

What was the significance of Yuri Knorozov's contribution to the Maya script decipherment?

Yuri Knorozov, a Russian linguist, made a significant contribution by recognizing that the Maya script was a mixed system combining phonetic and logographic elements. He helped decode several glyphs by understanding them as representations of spoken sounds, challenging earlier theories that the glyphs were purely symbolic.

What were some of the key insights gained from The Dresden Codex?

The Dresden Codex revealed that the Maya had a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and time. It included predictions for lunar and solar eclipses, as well as tracking the cycles of Venus, which was closely associated with warfare. It also helped correlate the Maya calendar with the Western calendar, allowing archaeologists to date important events.

Why did the Maya abandon many of their cities in the ninth century?

The reasons behind the abandonment of many Maya cities in the ninth century are still debated. Possible explanations include environmental factors, such as drought, political instability, or overpopulation. This collapse of the Maya civilization marked the end of their dominance in the central lowlands, although some Maya cities continued to thrive in the northern regions.

How did the work of Jay Eric Thompson shape the study of Maya glyphs?

Jay Eric Thompson was a prominent figure in the study of Maya glyphs from the 1930s to the 1960s. He developed a classification system for the glyphs and argued that the script primarily recorded dates and astronomical events. However, his belief that the glyphs were not a form of historical writing was later challenged by Tatiana Proskouriakoff's discoveries.

What was the nature of the 'toothache glyph' in Maya inscriptions, and how was it interpreted?

The 'toothache glyph' was a mysterious symbol found in several Maya inscriptions. It was initially thought by scholars like Eric Thompson to represent completion or sunset, but Tatiana Proskouriakoff’s research led to the interpretation that it symbolized a specific event in a ruler's life, such as an ascension to the throne, challenging previous assumptions about the glyph's meaning.

What impact did the work of Alfred Maudsley have on the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphs?

Alfred Maudsley's work in the 1880s was important because he used a glass plate camera to capture detailed photographs of Maya inscriptions. His precise photos preserved the glyphs in their original form, providing invaluable material for later scholars to analyze and decode the script, laying the groundwork for the decipherment process.