Maya script, also known as Maya glyphs, is historically the native writing system of the Maya civilization of Mesoamerica and is the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered.

Article on the Maya writing system (hieroglyphs), how it was deciphered and how to read it. Also includes further reading.

Most scholars accepted the theory that the Maya writing system was entirely logographic —that is, that each glyph, or sign, represented an entire word. In addition, it was widely believed that the Maya …

The Mayan script is logosyllabic combining about 550 logograms (which represent whole words) and 150 syllabograms (which represent syllables). There were also about 100 glyphs representing place …

Sep 18, 2025 · Mayan writing was both visual art and linguistic genius. Unlike alphabetic systems such as English or Greek, the Mayan script combined logograms (symbols representing words or ideas) …

Feb 12, 2014 · The best-preserved examples of Maya writing are often from stone monuments, most commonly altars, stelae and elements of architectural sculpture, especially around doorways and …

Dec 8, 2024 · The Maya used their script for a variety of purposes, including recording historical events, religious rituals, political proclamations, and personal names. Glyphs appear on monuments, …

Scholars had concluded the Mayan script was logographic, like the Chinese, which has thousands of signs for thousands of words. But the Mayan script only had 800 glyphs, so they figured it was a very …

Maya script, also known as Mayan hieroglyphic writing, is the sophisticated written language developed by the ancient Maya civilization, which thrived in Mesoamerica from around 250 to 900 CE.

Classic Maya texts can be found on a variety of mediums - like this example of a polychrome (painted in several colours) vase. Maya artists not only created the large stone monuments, stelae...