| Keyword |
Description |
| Codices |
An old folded book made of special paper, used by the Maya to record important information |
| Syllables |
A sound unit that forms part or all of a word |
| Glyph |
A sign or symbol in a writing system, like the ones the Maya used |
In the 1950s, most experts thought the ancient Maya writing system could never be read, but a young Soviet linguist named Yuri Knorozov refused to believe that. During World War II, while serving in Berlin, he found copies of three Maya books, called codices, and took them back to Moscow to study along with a 16th‑century Spanish text by Diego de Landa. Knorozov asked a simple question: how could a people who made such accurate calendars and astronomy have a “bad” writing system?
By carefully counting how often each symbol appeared and where it showed up in words, Knorozov realized that the Maya script was not just a basic alphabet. He discovered that some signs stood for whole words and others for syllables, which finally made it possible to read real names and events carved on stones and written in codices. Many Western scholars rejected his work at first, partly because of Cold War politics and partly because they could not accept that someone who had never visited Maya ruins had solved the puzzle.
In 1973, other researchers used his methods on the Tablet of the 96 Glyphs in Palenque and read the names of Maya kings, proving that Knorozov had been right all along. Years later, when he finally visited Mexico and Guatemala, he was welcomed as a hero by scholars and Maya communities and received the Order of the Aztec Eagle from the Mexican government. Thanks to his stubborn curiosity and hard work, the ancient Maya “voice” can now be heard again through their own words.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English |
Spanish |
| Linguist |
Lingüista |
| Alphabet |
Alfabeto |
| Curiosity |
Curiosidad |
Time to discuss
- Why is it important to understand what ancient cultures wrote about themselves?
- Do you think someone can study a culture well without visiting the place? Why or why not?
- How can prejudice or politics stop people from accepting new ideas?
Let's write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph:
- Explain how Yuri Knorozov showed that the Maya writing system could be read.
- Write about a time when someone proved that something “impossible” was actually possible.
