LANGUAGE
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MAYA CALENDAR, MATH AND ASTRONOMY
Use our provided information to learn about the Maya.
MAYAN LANGUAGE
Learn about Mayan language and writing.
MAYA ARCHITECTURE
Learn why the Maya built their temples.
MAYA BALLGAME
Learn about the ancient Mesoamerican ballgame.
MAYA MUSIC
Learn about ancient Maya music.
ANCIENT FOODS
Learn some of the foods the ancient Maya and other groups ate.
- Frequently asked questions
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There are 28 Mayan languages that are still spoken today by about 6 million people in Central America and Mexico. Today these languages are written using the Roman alphabet but during the pre-classis and classic period they were written using a unique hieroglyphic writing system. Hieroglyphic texts were carved and painted on sculpture, buildings, pottery, cloth and in ancient books. The modern language spoken today is important in helping decipher the ancient writing system and unlock its many secrets which preserve Maya history, scientific knowledge and religious philosophy.
Do any of the ancient Maya books still exist?
While there are many fragments of manuscripts called codices (codex in singular), only three complete codices have been located. They can be found in museums and libraries in Europe. Some tell of religious ceremonies, some of great hunts and others detail the duties of each person in the complex social structure.
Archeologists believe there were hundreds of codices, but Spanish explorers had them destroyed. To decipher the codices, missionaries used natives as well as clues such as the location of a glyph on a building matching one in a codex.
Codices were made from the bark of a tree or deer hide. The bark was first removed then softened in limewater to form a pulp. The Mayans pounded the pulp to form flat sheets before drying them. The paper was folded accordion style and a cover was often added.
Did the ancient Maya all speak the same language?
We are not exactly sure what the ancient Maya languages sounded like, but they were similar to the modern languages spoken today. The decipherment of texts has led scholars to believe that during the classic period (AD 250 - 900) there was one official language used for writing throughout the Maya world. Much like Latin was the language of religion and learning in medieval and early Renaissance Europe.
What would you be studied languages?
A Linguist is a person who studies languages.