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Western Mesoamerican Calendars and Writing Systems draws together studies by some of the world's leading experts presented at a conference held in December 2020, 'The Origins and Developments of Central Mexican Calendars and Writing Systems'. Mesoamerica is one of the few places to witness the independent invention of writing. From the earliest attestations of this intellectual feat in the Late Preclassic period (c. 900 bc-ad 150), writing spread throughout Mesoamerica, developing and diversifying into a series of distinct and independent scripts. With the exception of the celebrated phonetic decipherments of Maya and Aztec writing, which are now well-documented and can be fully read, most Mesoamerican writing systems remain little studied and undeciphered. This is particularly true of the writing systems of Western Mesoamerica, the topic of this volume. Bringing together new research on Western Mesoamerican writing systems, some contributions focus on specific features of a given writing system, whereas others offer state-of-the-art syntheses of whole writing systems. Two contributions focus on the calendar in particular, and associated notations, as integral parts of writing systems. Chapters are included on the writing system of Teotihuacan, the Nuine writing of the Mixteca Baja and adjoining areas, the writing system of the Epiclassic period and Aztec writing of the Postclassic. These writing systems represent more than a millennium of written records and literacy in Mesoamerica, spanning from the Early Classic to the Late Postclassic (from the 2nd to the sixteenth centuries ad). Aztec writing even continued in use for several decades after the Spanish invasion of Mexico (ad 1519-1521), which saw the introduction of the Latin alphabet and the gradual obsolescence of Mesoamerican logophonetic writing systems.

Language And Languages --- Language Arts & Disciplines --- History --- History / Latin America / Pre-columbian Era --- Latin America

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Indians of Central America --- Inscriptions, Mayan --- Excavations (Archaeology) --- Mayas --- Ethnology --- Indiens d'Amérique --- Inscriptions maya --- Fouilles (Archéologie) --- Anthropologie sociale et culturelle --- Social life and customs. --- Antiquities --- Moeurs et coutumes --- Antiquités

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Both the perceived successes and failures of the Maya are often linked to their relationship with the local environment and their response to episodes of climate change over a period of nearly 2000 years. However, our understanding of human responses to environmental stress has mostly been shaped by a narrow focus on drought as a cause for societal collapse, even in relatively well-watered tropical regions. We still know little about the choices humans make in response to extreme variability in rainfall in different environmental conditions and on multiple timescales. This work responds to recent debates and new analytical opportunities in Maya studies, provided by developments such as an increased volume of paleoclimatic data, the growing field of settlement archaeology and advances in Maya epigraphy. By combining a range of evidence, the book explores the relationship between Maya society and the local environment on multiple spatial and temporal scales, while also taking into account socio-cultural agencies. In addition, results from ethnographic fieldwork among contemporary Maya communities provide insights into the impact of stress-inducing climatic events on people’s lives and their coping strategies. These serve as a guide when looking for similar patterns in archaeological and textual evidence.

Ecology. --- Environmental archaeology --- Environmental archaeology. --- Human beings --- Mayas --- Paleoclimatology --- Paleoclimatology. --- Effect of climate on --- Effect of climate on. --- Social conditions. --- Central America --- Central America. --- Environmental conditions. --- Excavations (Archaeology) --- Antiquities

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Mayas --- Maya mythology --- Mayan languages --- Maya art --- Excavations (Archaeology) --- Mythologie maya --- Langues maya-quiché --- Art maya --- Fouilles (Archéologie) --- Antiquities --- Congresses. --- Congresses --- Writing --- Antiquités --- Congrès --- Ecriture --- Central America --- Mexico --- Amérique centrale --- Mexique --- Civilization --- Civilisation