Introduction to the Study of the Maya Hieroglyphs (Classic Reprint) - Couverture souple

Morley, Sylvanus Griswold

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 133199702X ISBN 13 : 9781331997023

Editeur : Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Excerpt from Introduction to the Study of the Maya Hieroglyphs

To the second of these considerations, however, the writings of Mr. C. P. Bowditch, of Boston, Massachusetts, offer a conspicuous exception, particularly his final contribution to this subject, entitled The N umeration, Calendar Systems, and Astronomical Knowledge of the Mayas, the publication of which in 1910 marked the dawn of a new era in the study of the Maya hieroglyphic writing. In this work Mr. Bowditch exhaustively summarizes all previous knowledge of the subject, and also indicates the most promising lines for future investigation. The book is a vast storehouse of heretofore scattered material, now gathered together for the first time and presented to the student in a readily accessible form. Indeed, so thorough is its treatment, the result of many years of intensive study, that the writer would have hesitated to bring out another work, necessarily covering much of the same ground, had it not been for his belief that Mr. Bowditch's book is too advanced for, lay comprehension. The Maya hieroglyphic writing is exceedingly intricate; its subject matter is complex and its forms irregular; and in order to be understood it must be presented in a very elementary way. The writer believes that this primer method of treatment has not been followed in the publi cation in question and, furthermore, that the omission of specimen texts, which would give the student practice in deciphering the glyphs, renders it too technical for use by the beginner. Acknowledgment should be made here to Mr. Bowditch for his courtesy in permitting the reproduction of a number of drawings from his book, the examples of the period, day and month glyphs figured being derived almost entirely from this source; and in a larger sense for his share in the establishment of instruction in this field of research at Harvard University where the writer first took up these studies. In the limited space available it would have been impossible to present a detailed picture of the Maya civilization, nor indeed is this essential to the purpose of the book. It has been thought advisable, however, to precede the general discussion of the hieroglyphs with a brief review of the habitat, history, customs, government, and religion of the ancient Maya, so that the reader mav gather a general idea of the remarkable people whose writing and calendar he is about to study.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

This book was originally published prior to 1923, and represents a reproduction of an important historical work, maintaining the same format as the original work. While some publishers have opted to apply OCR (optical character recognition) technology to the process, we believe this leads to sub-optimal results (frequent typographical errors, strange characters and confusing formatting) and does not adequately preserve the historical character of the original artifact. We believe this work is culturally important in its original archival form. While we strive to adequately clean and digitally enhance the original work, there are occasionally instances where imperfections such as blurred or missing pages, poor pictures or errant marks may have been introduced due to either the quality of the original work or the scanning process itself. Despite these occasional imperfections, we have brought it back into print as part of our ongoing global book preservation commitment, providing customers with access to the best possible historical reprints. We appreciate your understanding of these occasional imperfections, and sincerely hope you enjoy seeing the book in a format as close as possible to that intended by the original publisher.

Présentation de l'éditeur

The Shelf2Life Native American Studies Collection is a unique set of pre-1923 materials that explore the characteristics and customs of North American Indians. From traditional songs and dance of the Apache and Navajo to the intricate patterns of Arapaho moccasins, these titles explore the symbolic meaning of Native American music and art. Complex relationships between tribal groups and government are also examined, highlighting the historic struggle for land rights, while the retelling of ancient myths and legends emphasize a belief in the interconnection of humans and nature and provide readers with significant insight into a culture deeply rooted in spirituality. The Shelf2Life Native American Studies Collection provides an invaluable perspective into Native American culture and politics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Forgotten Books
• Date d'édition: 2018
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 133199702X
• ISBN 13: 9781331997023
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 370
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible