The Isthmian script is a very early Mesoamerican writing system in use in the area of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec from perhaps 500 BCE to 500 CE, although there is disagreement on these dates. It is also called the La Mojarra script and the Epi-Olmec script ('post-Olmec script').
Isthmian script is structurally similar to the Maya script, and like Maya uses one set of characters to represent logograms (or word units) and a second set to represent syllables.
Approximately 23 glyphs on the O'Boyle "mask", a clay artifact of unknown provenance.[1]
A small number of glyphs on a pottery-sherd from Chiapa de Corzo. This sherd has been assigned the oldest date of any Isthmian script artifact: 450-300 BCE.[2]
Decipherment
In a 1993 paper, John Justeson and Terrence Kaufman proposed a partial decipherment of the Isthmian text found on the La Mojarra Stela, claiming that the language represented was a member of the Zoquean language family.[3] In 1997, the same two epigraphers published a second paper on Epi-Olmec writing, in which they further claimed that a newly discovered text-section from the stela had yielded readily to the decipherment-system that they had established earlier for the longer section of text.[4] This led to a Guggenheim Fellowship for their work, in 2003.
The following year, however, their interpretation of the La Mojarra text was disputed by Stephen D. Houston and Michael D. Coe, who had tried unsuccessfully to apply the Justeson-Kaufman decipherment-system to the Isthmian text on the back of the hitherto unknown Teotihuacan-style mask (which is of unknown provenance and is now in a private collection).[5]
Along with proposing an alternative linguistic attribution of Epi-Olmec writing as proto-Huastecan, Vonk (2020) argued that the size of the corpus compares unfavorably in comparison with the rate of repetition within the corpus, so that a unique decipherment is simply impossible given the current state of affairs. He goes on in illustrating the principal applicability of readings in random Old and New world languages (including Ancient Greek, Latin, Spanish and German) to demonstrate the coincidental nature of any such proposals.[6]
The matter is still under discussion. In Lost Languages (2008) Andrew Robinson summarises the position as follows:
Overall, then, the case for the Justeson/Kaufman 'decipherment' of Isthmian is decidedly unproven and currently rests on shaky foundations ... What it needs, more urgently than some other 'decipherments' given its evident linguistic sophistication, is the discovery of a new text or texts as substantial as the one found at La Mojarra in 1986.[7]
^Brigham Young University press-release. Despite the lack of provenance, Houston "is confident it [the mask text] was written sometime between A.D. 300 and 500" which would place it 150 to 250 years later than the La Mojarra stela.
^Vonk, Thomas (2020-02-12). "Yet Another "Decipherment" of the Isthmian Writing2 System". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Brigham Young University press-release on behalf of Brigham Young University archaeologist Stephen Houston and Yale University professor emeritus Michael Coe disputing the Justeson-Kaufman findings.
Diehl, Richard A. (2004) The Olmecs: America's First Civilization, Thames & Hudson, London.
Houston, Stephen, and Michael Coe (2004) "Has Isthmian Writing Been Deciphered?", Mexicon XXV: 151-161.
Justeson, John S., and Terrence Kaufman (1993), "A Decipherment of Epi-Olmec Hieroglyphic Writing" in Science, Vol. 259, 19 March 1993, pp. 1703–11.
Justeson, John S., and Terrence Kaufman (1997) "A Newly Discovered Column in the Hieroglyphic Text on La Mojarra Stela 1: a Test of the Epi-Olmec Decipherment", Science, Vol. 277, 11 July 1997, pp. 207–10.
Justeson, John S., and Terrence Kaufman (2001) Epi-Olmec Hieroglyphic Writing and Texts 2011-05-25 at the Wayback Machine.
Lo, Lawrence; "", at (accessed January 2008).
Pérez de Lara, Jorge, and John Justeson "Photographic Documentation of Monuments with Epi-Olmec Script/Imagery", Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies (FAMSI).
Robinson, Andrew (2008) Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World's Undeciphered Scripts, Thames & Hudson, ISBN978-0-500-51453-5.
Schuster, Angela M. H. (1997) "" in Archaeology, online (accessed January 2008).
External links
"Photographic Documentation of Monuments with Epi-Olmec Script/Imagery" from the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc.
Drawing of La Mojarra Stela 1
January 04, 2023
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The Isthmian script is a very early Mesoamerican writing system in use in the area of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec from perhaps 500 BCE to 500 CE although there is disagreement on these dates It is also called the La Mojarra script and the Epi Olmec script post Olmec script Isthmian scriptDetail showing three columns of glyphs from La Mojarra Stela 1 The two right columns are Isthmian glyphs The left column gives a Mesoamerican Long Count calendar date of 8 5 16 9 7 or 156 CE Script typeUndeciphered assumed to be logo syllabic Time periodPerhaps ca 500 BCE to ca 500 CEDirectiontop to bottom LanguagesEpi Olmec ISO639 3 xep Isthmian script is structurally similar to the Maya script and like Maya uses one set of characters to represent logograms or word units and a second set to represent syllables Contents 1 Recovered texts 2 Decipherment 3 Notes 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksRecovered texts EditThe four most extensive Isthmian texts are those found on The La Mojarra Stela 1 The Tuxtla Statuette Tres Zapotes Stela C A Teotihuacan style maskOther texts include A few Isthmian glyphs on four badly weathered stelae 5 6 8 and probably 15 at Cerro de las Mesas Approximately 23 glyphs on the O Boyle mask a clay artifact of unknown provenance 1 A small number of glyphs on a pottery sherd from Chiapa de Corzo This sherd has been assigned the oldest date of any Isthmian script artifact 450 300 BCE 2 Decipherment EditIn a 1993 paper John Justeson and Terrence Kaufman proposed a partial decipherment of the Isthmian text found on the La Mojarra Stela claiming that the language represented was a member of the Zoquean language family 3 In 1997 the same two epigraphers published a second paper on Epi Olmec writing in which they further claimed that a newly discovered text section from the stela had yielded readily to the decipherment system that they had established earlier for the longer section of text 4 This led to a Guggenheim Fellowship for their work in 2003 The following year however their interpretation of the La Mojarra text was disputed by Stephen D Houston and Michael D Coe who had tried unsuccessfully to apply the Justeson Kaufman decipherment system to the Isthmian text on the back of the hitherto unknown Teotihuacan style mask which is of unknown provenance and is now in a private collection 5 Along with proposing an alternative linguistic attribution of Epi Olmec writing as proto Huastecan Vonk 2020 argued that the size of the corpus compares unfavorably in comparison with the rate of repetition within the corpus so that a unique decipherment is simply impossible given the current state of affairs He goes on in illustrating the principal applicability of readings in random Old and New world languages including Ancient Greek Latin Spanish and German to demonstrate the coincidental nature of any such proposals 6 The matter is still under discussion In Lost Languages 2008 Andrew Robinson summarises the position as follows Overall then the case for the Justeson Kaufman decipherment of Isthmian is decidedly unproven and currently rests on shaky foundations What it needs more urgently than some other decipherments given its evident linguistic sophistication is the discovery of a new text or texts as substantial as the one found at La Mojarra in 1986 7 Notes Edit Mask with Incised Design in Epi Olmec Script Perez de Lara and Justeson Justeson and Kaufman 1993 Justeson and Kaufman 1997 Brigham Young University press release Despite the lack of provenance Houston is confident it the mask text was written sometime between A D 300 and 500 which would place it 150 to 250 years later than the La Mojarra stela Vonk Thomas 2020 02 12 Yet Another Decipherment of the Isthmian Writing2 System a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Robinson p 263 See also EditCascajal block San Andres Mesoamerican site Epi Olmec Olmec hieroglyphsReferences EditBrigham Young University press release on behalf of Brigham Young University archaeologist Stephen Houston and Yale University professor emeritus Michael Coe disputing the Justeson Kaufman findings Diehl Richard A 2004 The Olmecs America s First Civilization Thames amp Hudson London Houston Stephen and Michael Coe 2004 Has Isthmian Writing Been Deciphered Mexicon XXV 151 161 Justeson John S and Terrence Kaufman 1993 A Decipherment of Epi Olmec Hieroglyphic Writing in Science Vol 259 19 March 1993 pp 1703 11 Justeson John S and Terrence Kaufman 1997 A Newly Discovered Column in the Hieroglyphic Text on La Mojarra Stela 1 a Test of the Epi Olmec Decipherment Science Vol 277 11 July 1997 pp 207 10 Justeson John S and Terrence Kaufman 2001 Epi Olmec Hieroglyphic Writing and Texts Archived 2011 05 25 at the Wayback Machine Lo Lawrence Epi Olmec at Ancient Scripts com accessed January 2008 Perez de Lara Jorge and John Justeson Photographic Documentation of Monuments with Epi Olmec Script Imagery Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies FAMSI Robinson Andrew 2008 Lost Languages The Enigma of the World s Undeciphered Scripts Thames amp Hudson ISBN 978 0 500 51453 5 Schuster Angela M H 1997 Epi Olmec Decipherment in Archaeology online accessed January 2008 External links Edit Photographic Documentation of Monuments with Epi Olmec Script Imagery from the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies Inc High resolution image of the Isthmian glyph table Tuxtla Statuette photograph Drawing of La Mojarra Stela 1 High resolution photo of the Coe Houston Mask Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Isthmian script amp oldid 1127414537, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
