Mayanist

Mayanist

A Mayanist (Spanish: "mayista") is a scholar specialising in research and study of the Central American pre-Columbian Maya civilization. This discipline should not be confused with Mayanism, a collection of New Age beliefs about the ancient Maya.

Mayanists draw upon many inter-related disciplines including archaeology, linguistics, epigraphy, ethnology, history, photography/art, architecture, astronomy and ceramics.

The term Mayanist was coined by parallel with specialised fields studying other historical civilizations; see for example, Egyptologist (Ancient Egypt) and Assyriologist (Ancient Mesopotamia). It has been in widespread use from the late 19th century onwards, particularly by those who have studied and contributed to the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphics, the complex and elaborate writing system which was developed by the ancient Maya.

Notable deceased Mayanists

Notable living Mayanists (as of 2010)

  • Michael Coe (born 1929), North-American archaeologist and iconographer, nestor
  • Ian Graham, British archaeological explorer
  • Nikolai Grube, German epigrapher, archaeologist, and historian
  • Norman Hammond (born 1944), British archaeologist
  • Peter Mathews (born 1951), Australian epigrapher
  • Stephen Houston (born 1958), North-American archaeologist and epigrapher
  • Simon Martin, British epigrapher and historian
  • David Stuart, principal North-American epigrapher
  • Karl Taube (born 1957), principal North-American iconographer

See also

  • Egyptologist
  • Assyriologist
  • Sinologist

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mayanist — noun Date: 1950 a specialist in Mayan civilization and often languages …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • mayanist — noun A person; one who is skilled, professes or practices the study of the pre Columbian Maya …   Wiktionary

  • mayanist — ma·yan·ist …   English syllables

  • mayanist — ˈmīənə̇st noun ( s) Usage: usually capitalized : an expert in the field of Mayan culture and history …   Useful english dictionary

  • David Stuart (Mayanist) — For other people of the same name, see David Stuart (disambiguation). David Stuart (born 1965) is a Mayanist scholar and professor of Mesoamerican art and writing at the University of Texas at Austin. Contents …   Wikipedia

  • 2012 phenomenon — Part of a series on …   Wikipedia

  • Tatiana Proskouriakoff — Infobox Scientist box width = name = Tatiana Avenirovna Proskouriakoff image size = caption = birth date = birth date|mf=yes|1909|1|23|mf=y birth place = Tomsk, Russian Empire death date = death date and age|mf=yes|1985|8|30|1909|1|23|mf=y death… …   Wikipedia

  • Votan — is a legendary or mythological figure mentioned in early European accounts of the Maya civilization.Origins of the Votan storyThe story of Votan in Mexico dates back to at least the late 17th century. It was first published in Constituciones… …   Wikipedia

  • Maya calendar — Maya civiliza …   Wikipedia

  • Pacal the Great — Infobox Monarch name =Pacal II, the Great title =Ajaw of Palenque caption =Drawing of Pacal the Great reign =July 29, 615 – August 31, 683 coronation = othertitles = full name =K inich Janaab Pakal predecessor =Sak K uk successor =K inich Kan B… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”