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. Both personalities and Cold War politics slowed down the process. Then in the early 50s, a Russian scholar, Knorosov, interpreted the glyphs in a ...
Read More
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. Both personalities and Cold War politics slowed down the process. Then in the early 50s, a Russian scholar, Knorosov, interpreted the glyphs in a new way, comprising both phonetic and conceptual ideas. Another breakthrough, deciphering the pattern of dates in the Mayan records, followed at the end of the decade. In the 70s, studies of comparative languages furthered the decipherment, and now perhaps 85% of the glyphs can be deciphered - though many mysteries remain. This is an account of the decipherment of an ancient language, which is given added impact by Coe's first-hand account of scholarly rivalries, personality clashes, and political prejudices which held back progress for so long. The book includes many illustrations of the glyphs and engravings, and two photo insets.
Read Less
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code (Third Edition) to cart. $2.88, good condition, Sold by Greenworld Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good condition book with a firm cover and clean readable pages. Shows normal use including some light wear or limited notes highlighting yet remains a dependable copy overall. Supplemental items like CDs or access codes may not be included.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code to cart. $2.91, fair condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Woodland Park, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Fast &-A well-used but reliable copy with all text fully readable. Pages and cover remain intact though wear such as notes highlighting bends or library marks may be present. Supplemental items like CDs or access codes may not be included.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code to cart. $9.99, good condition, Sold by 4everBAM rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from parker, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. Size: 6x1x9; **VERY GOOD*** Contains one or two pages of minor writing or highlights, and Underlines. Legible and in good shape. Minor to slightly heavy wears on cover from warehouse shelves. (Used so may not contain codes/CDs/Inserts that is included with the book.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code (Third Edition) to cart. $10.00, very good condition, Sold by 3rd St. Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lees Summit, MO, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. Very good, clean, tight condition. Text free of marks. Professional book dealer since1999. All orders are processed promptly and carefully packaged.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code to cart. $20.00, like new condition, Sold by Kubik Fine Books Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dayton, OH, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code (Third Edition) to cart. $32.38, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code (Third Edition) to cart. $46.77, new condition, Sold by Just one more Chapter rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Miramar, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code (Third Edition) to cart. $63.20, new condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames & Hudson.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code: Third Edition to cart. $66.00, very good condition, Sold by BetterBookDeals rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NIAGARA FALLS, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames and Hudson.
Add this copy of Breaking the Maya Code: Third Edition to cart. $69.00, new condition, Sold by BetterBookDeals rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NIAGARA FALLS, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Thames and Hudson.
Prof. Coe, himself a pre-eminent Mayanist and epigrapher, adeptly blends the history of this intriguing decipherment, still only two-thirds accomplished, with revelation of the pertinent idiosyncracies of those who have figured prominently in the cumulative study and reading of the Maya glyphic (logosyllabic) writings. Authoritative, informative, lively, fascinating -- there is no book in my personal library that I value more highly.
Sarattus
Jul 9, 2009
Maya mystery
It takes a bit of patience to get into this book but it is well worth it. Worth it if you are interested in how a "hieroglyphic" system was finally and belatedly decyphered. I found it a hard book to put down once the story took hold, The Maya glyphs were a longtime enigma to scholars, so much so that for decades many thought they had nothing to do with spoken Maya. One major hurdle to breaking the code was the absence of a "Rosetta Stone" for the Maya script, another was scholastic arrogance. By the way, the Mayans were the only New World civilization which developed a true written language.
