File:Guide leaflet (1901) (14766158354).jpg

Identifier: scienceguide7692amer (find matches)
Title: Guide leaflet
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: American Museum of Natural History Natural history
Publisher: New York : The Museum
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: IMLS / LSTA / METRO

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Text Appearing Before Image:
owledge of draughts-numship, the manuscripts are a mostvaluable source of information. Theyinclude ritualistic and divinatory manuals,historical annals, tribute rolls, maps, andthe like. Thus in the rendition of thesubjects chosen, artistic considerationswere always secondary to the needs ofexposition. Middle American writing was at a rela-tively primitive stage. It was ideographicaiul ))lionetic, the principle being that ofour modern rebus. There was, however,no means of conjugating verbs or declin-ing nouns. Consequently action had tobe expressed by pictures. It is quite prob-able that long recitations learned by roteand passed on from generation to genera-tion supplemented the picture writingswhich served as a mnemonic aid. Agreat many of these documents gavecalendric and astronomical calculations,and the inscriptions are largely comj)osedof the names and numbers of the variousdates, the pictures of the gods )-)residingover the various days, and the ceremon.iesassociated with them.
Text Appearing After Image:
Painted Relief fromChichen Itza This carved wall from the lower chamber,Jaguar Temple, was covered with plasterand then painted. A procession of priestsand warriors converges on an altar inhonor of their god Quetzalcoatl, theFeathered Serpent. The warriors carryspears and spear-throwers, and the twopriests have feathered robes in their hands 53

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