Glyph block

7th–8th century
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Each of these blocks bears three to five signs that, together, convey words or phrases. Maya writing combined syllables and logograms—signs that carry meaningful linguistic units or morphemes. Though their delineation varied, they were often shaped as the heads of humans, animals, or deities. Respectively, this block spells the phrase unah tal . . . (his first . . . [undeciphered]).


Glifo
Templo XVIII, Palenque, Chiapas, México
Siglo VII al VIII
Estuco

La escritura maya combinaba sílabas y logogramas –signos que contienen unidades lingüísticas significativas o morfemas–. Aunque los trazos varían, a menudo tienen forma de cabezas humanas, de animales o de deidades. Cada uno de estos bloques contiene tres o cuatro signos que en conjunto forman palabras o frases; en este se lee, respectivamente, unah tal… (su primer… [indescifrable]).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Glyph block
  • Date: 7th–8th century
  • Geography: Mexico, Chiapas, Palenque
  • Culture: Maya
  • Medium: Stucco
  • Dimensions: H. 5 1/8 × W. 5 11/16 × D.1 3/16 in., 1.7 lb. (13 x 14.5 x 3 cm; 787 g)
  • Classification: Stucco-Reliefs
  • Credit Line: Museo Regional de Antropología Carlos Pellicer Cámara, Mexico, Secretaría de Cultura del Estado de Tabasco
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing