Description
A handbook, for general readers as well as specialists, to the symbolic written characters of the an...
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A handbook, for general readers as well as specialists, to the symbolic written characters of the ancient Maya people of Mexico. It not only translates the meanings of about 200 glyphs but also provides insight into Mayan life, gods, and rituals. The glyphs taken from carved stone reliefs, ceremonial artifacts, and rare codices portray royalty, heroes, animals, customs such as burial practices, and abstract concepts. The work includes drawings of the glyphs (some of them ideograms and others phonetic signs), illustrations from Spanish codices, examples of Maya sculpture and painting, and a chapter on writing systems throughout the New World. The author is an Italian scholar of pre-Columbian civilizations. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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