Is this the earliest writing in Mesoamerica?
TLDRThe video explores the discovery of ancient writing in Mesoamerica, focusing on a serpentine stone from Veracruz. This stone, found in an archaeological site called Cascajal, potentially bears the oldest glyphs in the Americas. The script delves into the historical significance of this find, discussing various civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, and Zapotec, and their contributions to early writing. The narrative highlights the importance of these ancient texts and the ongoing quest to understand and decipher them, showcasing the rich history of Mesoamerican script development.
Takeaways
- 📜 The discovery of a stone block with 62 symbols from Veracruz may represent the oldest Mesoamerican writing, challenging our understanding of the history of writing in the Americas.
- 🔍 The archaeological site at Cascajal in Mexico, discovered accidentally by road workers, has yielded artifacts dating back to the Early Preclassic era, including the significant stone block with potential glyphs.
- 🗓️ The block's glyphs, if confirmed as writing, could push back the timeline of the earliest writing in the Americas to over 2500 years ago, predating previous estimates.
- 🌐 The quest for the earliest writing in the Americas is an ongoing and evolving field of study, with new discoveries continually reshaping our understanding of ancient civilizations.
- 📚 The existence of ancient writing in Mesoamerica has been confirmed with the survival of unique books, or 'codex', such as the āmoxtli, which are long, folded and painted on hide or bark paper.
- 📖 The term 'Aztec' is a misnomer; the correct term is 'Mēxihcah', part of the Nāhua people associated with the Triple Alliance, highlighting the complexity of historical nomenclature.
- 🎨 The Mixtec people of Oaxaca, known as the 'Rain People', have sophisticated books full of ancestral history, with some dating back 700 years, indicating an advanced writing system.
- 🏙️ Teotihuacán, a city in the Valley of Mexico, has revealed glyphs that are over 1500 years old, significantly extending the timeline of written language in the region.
- 📝 The Maya civilization, known for its extensive use of writing on various mediums, has four surviving books and numerous remnants that could offer scientific breakthroughs once deciphered.
- 🏞️ Sites like Kaminaljuyu and Tak'alik Abaj, located near the Pacific, show evidence of writing 2000 years ago, suggesting a rich linguistic and cultural diversity in Mesoamerica.
- 🕰️ The Olmec civilization, considered the 'mother' of Mesoamerican cultures, has yielded inscriptions in the 'Isthmian' script, with the oldest examples dating back 2400 years.
Q & A
What is the significance of the serpentine stone from Veracruz?
-The serpentine stone from Veracruz may bear Mesoamerica's oldest glyphs, indicating an early form of writing in the Americas.
What is Cascajal, and why is it important?
-Cascajal is an archaeological site in Veracruz, Mexico, where a block with potential ancient glyphs was found, possibly representing the earliest writing in the Americas.
Who discovered the block at Cascajal and what did they do?
-Workers at a gravel quarry discovered the block and contacted local cultural caretakers and archaeologists, who then began identifying and studying the artifacts.
How does the Cascajal block compare to other ancient writings in Mesoamerica?
-The Cascajal block predates other known Mesoamerican writings, including those from the Olmec civilization and later Maya and Zapotec scripts, potentially pushing back the timeline for the earliest writing in the region.
What role do the Olmecs play in the history of Mesoamerican writing?
-The Olmecs are considered a precursor to other Mesoamerican civilizations, and the discovery of early glyphs in Olmec sites suggests they may have developed one of the earliest writing systems in the region.
What challenges do researchers face in deciphering the Cascajal block?
-Researchers face challenges due to the undeciphered nature of the script and the need for more evidence to understand the symbols and their meanings fully.
How does the discovery of the Cascajal block impact our understanding of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations?
-The discovery suggests that Mesoamerican civilizations developed writing systems much earlier than previously thought, highlighting their advanced cultural and intellectual achievements.
What is the importance of codices in Mesoamerican cultures?
-Codices, or āmoxtli, are important as they contain historical, religious, and cultural information in folded and painted forms, representing the rich literary traditions of Mesoamerican civilizations like the Mexica and Mixtec.
What evidence supports the existence of ancient writing in the Maya civilization?
-Evidence includes glyphs found in stucco, stone, and codices, some of which date back over 1800 years, showing the Maya's extensive use of writing in various contexts.
How does the Cascajal block compare in age to other Mesoamerican writings?
-The Cascajal block is centuries older than other known Mesoamerican writings, including those of the Maya, Mixtec, and Zapotec civilizations, potentially making it the oldest script in the region.
Outlines
📜 Quest for the Oldest Writing in the Americas
The script delves into the discovery of a block with 62 symbols from Veracruz, potentially the oldest writing in Mesoamerica. It discusses the historical quest for the earliest writing in the Americas, the archaeological site of Cascajal, and the significance of the find in the context of Mesoamerican epigraphy. The block's glyphs could predate known scripts by centuries, challenging previous notions about the development of writing in the region. The script also touches on the history of Aztec and Mixtec books, known as āmoxtli, and the deciphering of Nāhua glyphs, emphasizing the rich history of writing in Mesoamerica.
🌟 Unearthing Ancient Scripts and the Dawn of Mesoamerican Writing
This paragraph explores the evolution of writing in Mesoamerica, from the sophisticated Mixtec books to the early glyphs found in Teotihuacán and the Maya civilization. It highlights the discovery of older Maya glyphs and the potential languages they represent, such as Mixe-Zoque or Maya. The paragraph also discusses the findings from Kaminaljuyu and Tak'alik Abaj, which suggest writing 2000 years ago, and the recent updates pushing back the earliest Maya writing to 2200 or 2300 years ago. The Olmec civilization's Isthmian script and the Chiapan finds, including the earliest long count date and pottery with 2400-year-old signs, are also mentioned, illustrating the continuous unfolding of the history of writing in the region.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mesoamerica
💡Glyphs
💡Olmec
💡Codex
💡Pre-Columbian
💡Mixtec
💡Teotihuacán
💡Maya
💡Epigraphy
💡Decipherment
💡Zapotec
Highlights
This block with its 62 symbols may change how you talk about the history of writing.
Does this serpentine stone from Veracruz bear Mesoamerica's oldest glyphs?
Las Lomas de Tacamichapán, México: Workers are busting into a local gravel quarry.
The quarry, though, doubles as an archaeological site called Cascajal.
The roadworkers are separating out artifacts and getting them into the hands of a local cultural caretaker.
A block full of what look like glyphs written roughly in rows, from the Early Preclassic era, might be the oldest writing in the whole hemisphere.
Scholars were once questioning if the Americas even had 'real' writing at all.
The world has conclusively learned that Mesoamerica birthed writing, ancient writing, and lots of it.
Libraries across Europe hold one-of-a-kind Aztec books, or āmoxtli.
Some āmoxtli date to just after the Spanish conquest, and a precious few survive from before the siege of Tenochtitlán.
Rain glyph painters, known for their sophisticated books full of ancestral history, may push our date back to 700 years into the past.
The language of the Teotihuacanos is notoriously up for debate, but their glyphs more than double our time horizon to over 1500 years ago.
A famously literate civilization in the east uses writing everywhere, including on drinking cups. These are in Maya.
Closer to the Pacific, Kaminaljuyu and Tak'alik Abaj cities predated and surpassed their neighbors in structure building and glyph writing.
New finds from Guatemala push back the date for the earliest Maya writing to at least 2200 or 2300 years ago.
Olmec sites turn up amazing structures and early dates, with the earliest long count date yet found and a piece of pottery with signs 2400 years old.
Oto-Manguean peoples in Oaxaca have native writing too, including the Ñuiñe and earlier the Zapotec, with the earliest Zapotec writing identified over 2500 years old.
The Cascajal block from Olmec territory may represent writing from centuries before the last accepted date for oldest script in Mesoamerica.
Transcripts
Browse More Related Video
Chapter 08 - World History, Vol. 1 - OpenStax (Audiobook)
The Complete and Concise History of the Sumerians and Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia (7000-2000 BC)
The Americas and Time Keeping: Crash Course History of Science #5
The Animated History of Mexico
E.H. Gombrich 'A Little History of the World' 4. Sunday Monday...
Engineering an Empire: The Maya (S1, E5) | Full Episode | History
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
Thanks for rating: