Maya Hieroglyphic Texts

Maya inscription and translation resources

Maya Codices – A translation-focused resource with searchable translations and analysis of four Maya codices. Useful if the priority is to read translated Maya texts, although it focuses on codices rather than a broad monument corpus. [https://mayacodices.org/

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Maya Hieroglyphic Text and Image Archive (Bonn / ClassicMayan) – A modern archive of Maya inscriptions with faceted search, photos, drawings, metadata, and ongoing transcription and translation work. One of the best broad inscription archives, although many entries are still incomplete. [https://digitale-sammlungen.ulb.uni-bonn.de/maya

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Copán, Stela A (example record from the Bonn archive) – An example item from the Bonn / ClassicMayan archive showing the type of material available, including metadata, image access, and structured inscription documentation. [https://digitale-sammlungen.ulb.uni-bonn.de/9626833

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FAMSI Montgomery Drawings Collection – A searchable collection of John Montgomery’s drawings of Maya inscriptions. Many entries include short English explanations describing what the text records, such as accessions, rulers, captives, and period endings. [https://research.famsi.org/montgomery_list.php?nu=&rowstart=30&search=Tikal

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MayaVase / Justin Kerr Database – A major resource for painted ceramic texts, especially rollout photographs of Maya vessels. Some entries include links to translations of the texts and to scholarly essays explaining the inscriptions and iconography. [https://www.mayavase.com/

Main site] [https://research.mayavase.com/
Database] [https://www.mayavase.com/articleopen.html
Articles]

The Hieroglyphic Inscriptions of Southern Belize – A downloadable PDF study of inscriptions from southern Belize. Especially useful because it analyzes each text on a glyph-by-glyph basis with transliteration and translation. [https://www.famsi.org/reports/00077/toc_intro.pdf

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Mesoweb – A site with many downloadable resources on Maya inscriptions, including site-specific studies, drawings, and epigraphic notes. Especially useful for detailed studies of individual monuments and texts. [https://www.mesoweb.com/index/title.html

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Some Working Notes on the Text of Tikal Stela 31 – A Mesoweb PDF focused on the reading and interpretation of Tikal Stela 31. A good example of a translation-oriented study of a single inscription. [https://www.mesoweb.com/stuart/notes/Tikal.pdf

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Classic Maya Vocabulary of Hieroglyphic Readings – A PDF reference work useful alongside inscription corpora. It gives Classic Maya terms with English translations, hieroglyphic spellings, and transliterations. [https://www.mesoweb.com/resources/vocabulary/Vocabulary-2009.01.pdf

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Hieroglyphic Decipherment Guide – A practical guide for understanding Maya glyphs, transliteration conventions, and literal translations. Not a corpus, but very useful when working with inscription resources. [https://www.famsi.org/mayawriting/calvin/glyph_guide.pdf

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