Writings

Hieroglyphic Scripts

The Maya peoples developed a kind of hieroglyphic writing, which they used for recording their mythology, history and rituals.

Material

These inscriptions can be found carved or painted on so callled stelae (stone slabs or pilars), on door lintels or staircases and statues. In addition, some of those hieroglyphic records have been preserved in books, which consist of interfolded paper strips. That paper was made of  agave fibres.

Codices

All in all four of those codices are still kept: the Codex Dresdensis, which is in Dresden today; the Perez Codex, in Paris today, as well as the Codex Tro and the Codex Cortesianus, which are both in Madrid. The Codex Tro and the Codex Cortesianus comprise parts of one single source document and are commonly known as Codex Tro-Cortesianus. The books were used to predict the future and as an almanac for agricultural and astronomical purposes as well as for weather forecasts, curing and for hunting.