Writing amidst the Scribbles: The Role and Place of Writing in Ancient Maya Graffiti

The significantcorpus of ancient Maya graffiti (c. 200 BC-AD 950) attests to the widespreadpractice secondarily altering architectural surfaces during course oftheir use.  For most part this corpusis highly figurative and includes a series schematic elements that attest totheir production by hands variety agents. As one largestcorpora from any early civilization, figural representationsinclude wide array themes.  Somegraffiti feature complex, narrative scenes document important moments ofritual life Maya. Almost paradoxically, amid intricate andhighly are hieroglyphic graffiti. What do these writtengraffiti record, what is degree literacy to? Thisraises interesting questions including whether written figuralgraffiti were etched onto walls same individuals, or theserepresent different social segments each leaving their mark. From theseobservations follow ramifications as authorship, theuse built environment well motivations behind graffitiitself.