Into the minds of ancients: Advances in Maya glyph studies

A decade of Maya glyphic decipherment creates many opportunities for histor ical, linguistic, cultural, and archaeological interpretation. New evidence points to improvements in understanding decipherment as a discipline and s ocial practice, the origins of Maya script, the use and meaning of glyphs i n ancient society, and the language and sociolinguistic implications of May a texts. The glyphs reveal information about Maya kingship and its relation to supernatural forces along with cues to a synthesis of history during th e Classic period (A.D. 250-850). A test case from Piedras Negras, Guatemala , relates such discoveries to the ongoing excavation of a Classic city with abundant inscriptions.