About
March 29, 2007 by David Stuart
ABOUT THE BLOG:
The Maya Decipherment weblog focuses on the dissemination and serious discussion of working ideas on Maya hieroglyphic decipherment. It aims to routinely post observations on epigraphy and related archaeological and linguistic topics, and invites colleagues from the world of Mesoamerican studies to participate directly by posting and providing feedback.
Its founder, David Stuart, is the David and Linda Schele Professor of Mesoamerican Art and Writing at the University of Texas at Austin.
CONTACT INFO:
Dr. David Stuart
Department of Art and Art History D1300
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712 USA
email: davidstuart@mail.utexas.edu
Dear Professor Stuart,
I recently visited the Young Museum in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. What was a curious visit turned into a great surprise. This is because the Young Museum has on display two of the most beautiful stone carvings from the Maya world I had ever seen.
The two works of art - one large stela and one panel- are beautifully carved and well preserved. They both have what appears to be a substantial amount of hieroglyphic texts on them. Their museum description, however, lists their provenance as “unknown, Mexico or Guatemala”, which in my mind says nothing, as this description covers most of the Maya world.
However, they appear to have a distinctive style and be made of a specific type of stone, which could at least place them in a narrower region or time period (in my *inexperience*, they look like monuments from the Usumacinta or La Pasion). Knowing a little more about them would add so much life and context to these works of art.
Have you seen these carvings, and have you translated them at all?
Many thanks and congratulations on your achievements and on this blog, which brings the fascinating world of Maya decipherment to ordinary people like me, who are passionately interested in this culture.
Best regards,
Antonio Fuentes