An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya by Mary Miller  (7)
$13.57
|
The Blood of Kings: Dynasty and Ritual in Maya Art by Linda Schele  (4)
$26.37
|
Painting the Maya Universe: Royal Ceramics of the Classic Period (Duke University Museum of Art) by Dorie Reents-Budet (3)
$40.11
|
Reading the Maya Glyphs, Second Edition by Michael D. Coe (6)
$13.57
|
Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of by Dennis Tedlock (16)
$10.88
|
This item is not eligible for Amazon Prime, but millions of other items are. Join Amazon Prime today. Already a member? Sign in.
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Gorgeously illustrated and relating a fascinating linguistic tale, this look at the art of classic Maya scribes by anthropologist Coe and photographer Kerr includes the latest research into the deciphering of this mysterious writing. Maya scribes were both men and women, the authors write, and were much appreciated in a world where literature, art and mathematics had achieved unusual heights. The Classic Maya period lasted from about A.D. 250 until about A.D. 900, and its cities included Palenque in Mexico, Tikal in Guatemala and Copan in Honduras. Although the Olmecs in Mexico were the first in the hemisphere to have writing, the Maya, according to the authors, were "the only pre-conquest people in the New World to have a writing system sophisticated enough to express anything that was in their language." Maya writing, carved on stones such as jade, traced on pottery or painted on walls, deals almost exclusively with historical events--notably the constant wars waged between the city-states. Mythical characters appear, but mostly as part of paintings that represent actual historical figures, their places in the rich dreamworld of the Maya as well as where they rank in the pecking order of their cities indicated by fantastic headdresses. The authors mostly manage to keep the discussion accessible to the lay reader, but occasionally they do veer off into territory where only linguists would feel at home. Generally, the explanations are clear and compelling and the concrete examples of how Maya language developed and was rendered into art by scribes will shed light not only on language but on history and culture.
Gorgeously illustrated and relating a fascinating linguistic tale, this look at the art of classic Maya scribes by anthropologist Coe and photographer Kerr includes the latest research into the deciphering of this mysterious writing. Maya scribes were both men and women, the authors write, and were much appreciated in a world where literature, art and mathematics had achieved unusual heights. The Classic Maya period lasted from about A.D. 250 until about A.D. 900, and its cities included Palenque in Mexico, Tikal in Guatemala and Copan in Honduras. Although the Olmecs in Mexico were the first in the hemisphere to have writing, the Maya, according to the authors, were "the only pre-conquest people in the New World to have a writing system sophisticated enough to express anything that was in their language." Maya writing, carved on stones such as jade, traced on pottery or painted on walls, deals almost exclusively with historical events--notably the constant wars waged between the city-states. Mythical characters appear, but mostly as part of paintings that represent actual historical figures, their places in the rich dreamworld of the Maya as well as where they rank in the pecking order of their cities indicated by fantastic headdresses. The authors mostly manage to keep the discussion accessible to the lay reader, but occasionally they do veer off into territory where only linguists would feel at home. Generally, the explanations are clear and compelling and the concrete examples of how Maya language developed and was rendered into art by scribes will shed light not only on language but on history and culture.
Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Citations
(learn more)
7
books
cite this book:
See all 7 books citing this book
- Royal Courts of the Ancient Maya: Volume I: History, Comparison, and Synthesis by Takeshi Inomata on 5 pages
- Parallels: Mesoamerican and Ancient Middle Eastern Traditions a Tradition by Diane E. Wirth on page 7, and page 122
- The First Writing: Script Invention as History and Process by Stephen D. Houston in Back Matter
- National Narratives in Mexico: A History by Enrique Florescano in Back Matter
- The Inscriptions from Temple XIX at Palenque by David Stuart in Back Matter
See all 7 books citing this book