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Description
This is the story of how the Mayan glyphs found in the ancient ruins of Copan and other Mayan sites have been deciphered within the last 20 years. Michael Coe worked with all the leading players in this field. Although the Mayan cities were discovered a century and a half ago, the field of Mayan scholarship was dominated by scholars who had a dogmatic approach to the decipherment.
User reviews
LibraryThing member jsoos
Wow. This has to be one of the most readable academic volumes I have ever encountered. Coe's writing style is friendly, engaging, and even humorous at times. He provides a very thorough and well organized history of the decipherment of the Mayan glyphs. Part history, part biography (of many, many -
This volume is worth reading for anyone with even the remotest interest in language, archeology or epigraphy - it is just so engaging!
This volume is worth reading for anyone seriously interested in the topic of Mayan glyphs due to its extensive bibliograpy and references.
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maybe all individuals involved in the subject), and part scuttlebutt - Coe walks us through the key events and persons involved in the lengthy and distributed efforts to decipher the glyphs.This volume is worth reading for anyone with even the remotest interest in language, archeology or epigraphy - it is just so engaging!
This volume is worth reading for anyone seriously interested in the topic of Mayan glyphs due to its extensive bibliograpy and references.
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LibraryThing member kutsuwamushi
Interesting, but complicated, subject matter. This is not the simplified story that was shown on the PBS special.
I enjoyed it, but it might not be that great for someone without an interest in linguistics or language. Its major flaw, I think, is that the author has tried to find a middle ground
I enjoyed it, but it might not be that great for someone without an interest in linguistics or language. Its major flaw, I think, is that the author has tried to find a middle ground
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between being too technical and being too vague, and has ended up with something that can be both. It's not textbook rigorous, but it might be a little too complicated for someone without any linguistic background. Despite his attempts to explain all the concepts, they are pretty complicated and come at you fast. Show Less
LibraryThing member comixminx
Very interesting! Particularly in the later sections as you find out more about the Maya - for instance the fact that they seemed to love 'tagging' everything with their names. 'His cup, his bowl', fine, but also 'his bone' (inscribed on a bit of bone in a tomb) and so on.
Now I want to read the
Now I want to read the
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updated version to find out what the research in this area since 1994 has revealed. Show Less
Subjects
Original publication date
1992