The Maya Codices

Bibliographic Data

ID2296591
AuthorsGabrielle Vail (Division of Social Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, Florida 34243; and Florida Institute for Hieroglyphic Research, Palmetto, Florida 34221, corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume35
Issue1
Pages497-519
Publication date2006-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnnual Review of Anthropology (BOOK_SERIES)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0084-6570 • E-ISSN: 1545-4290
PublisherAnnual Reviews (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1146/annurev.anthro.35.081705.123324
OpenAlexW2166074320
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited47

Research over the past decade has significantly advanced our understanding of the prehispanic Maya codices, both in terms of their content (i.e., hieroglyphic texts, calendrical structure, and iconography) as well as the physical documents themselves (where and when they were painted, and by whom). Recent avenues of exploration include a new emphasis on linguistic and textual analyses; novel methodologies for interpreting calendrical structure; and comparisons with other manuscript traditions, in particular those from highland central Mexico. As a result of these studies, researchers have found that some codical almanacs functioned as real-time instruments to document important astronomical events; others were used to schedule rituals as part of the 52-year calendar that guided civic and religious life in Mesoamerica during the Late Postclassic period (circa A.D. 1250 to 1520). Evidence of connections with central Mexico, documented in terms of interchange among codical scribes, suggests the need for a more thorough exploration of Maya-highland Mexican interaction during this time period

Aesthetics · Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Geography · Iconography · Maya · Mesoamerica · Period (music · Sociology · Anthropology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Historical and Linguistic Studies · History · Latin American history and culture

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