Year: 1911
Type: article
Abstract: PERHAPS the nearest approach in the New World to a re corded aboriginal history was achieved by the Maya peoples of Central America and Southern Mexico, who have left be hind them hundreds of hieroglyphic inscriptions embodying an elaborate chronology.The early Spanish chroniclers explicitly state that the Mayas of Yucatan possessed historical records, at the time of the Conquest, which contained not only the reck oning of their years, or chronologies proper, but also other ancient matters, such as the occurrence of wars, famines, pes tilences, and hurricanes.In the face of such direct evidence, it can hardly be denied that at least some of the Mayas possessed a recorded history, preserved in their picture manuscripts which were accessible as late as the middle of the sixteenth century.In 1542 the Spaniards under Francisco Montejo effected the permanent occupation of Yucatan.This event, as it were, sounded the death knell of all native institutions.The Spanish priests at once applied themselves to the task of converting the heathen, and everything pertaining to the ancient civilization was speedily obliterated.Particularly, hieroglyphic manu scripts were zealously ferreted out and ruthlessly destroyed.Diego de Landa, the second Bishop of Yucatan, 1 says in this connection, " We found a great number of books in these char acters (that is, in hieroglyphics), and because they contained nothing but superstitions and lies of the Devil, we burned them all, the which was felt keenly, and gave them (the natives) pain."
Source: American Journal of Archaeology
DOI: 10.2307/497214
Author: Sylvanus Griswold Morley
Language: English
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2315402263