Project Reports
Project VEGA 1/0011/13
About the Project
The project focuses on a new reading of Maya hieroglyphic inscriptions from the cradle of Mayan civilization in the area of Uaxactún, Guatemala. Prof. Milan Kováč PhD. from Comenius University has led a long-term multidisciplinary project in this area. Many monuments of the pre-Classic and Classic Maya culture remain inadequately documented and interpreted.
In the first phase, the research group will focus on complex documentation of epigraphical monuments (stelae) using modern technology. In the second phase, with assistance from the world’s top experts, the collected data will be evaluated, leading to new interpretations and readings of the hieroglyphic inscriptions of Uaxactún.
The main outcome will be a new corpus of hieroglyphic inscriptions in English. We anticipate shifts in dating, changes to the history of royal dynasties, and new insights into the politics of the site. The outcomes will have global significance and contribute to European scientific knowledge in Mayology.
Project Goals
1. Documentation: The hieroglyphic inscriptions on monuments (stelae) in Uaxactún are among the oldest discovered, first recorded in 1916 by S. G. Morley. Previous documentation from the late 1980s (Graham, 1986) contains errors of almost 30% due to erosion and limited deciphering knowledge at that time. The goal is to digitally document and reconstruct these inscriptions using modern technology, resulting in an online electronic database accessible to researchers worldwide.
2. Interpretation: Previous interpretations date back to the early 1990s (Valdés et al., 1999) and are outdated. Recent breakthroughs in deciphering require updated research, conducted by an international team. The new interpretation will expand scientific knowledge and integrate deciphered glyphs into hieroglyphic syllabaries and dictionaries. An international workshop will present updated drawings and readings of Uaxactún inscriptions.
3. Publication: The final phase will focus on producing a new corpus of hieroglyphic inscriptions using advanced documentation methods, including frottage, night photography, RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging), digitalization, and 3D photogrammetry. The project will publish newly interpreted inscriptions and redrawings with scientific commentary in the final corpus.