Text and context

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Scholars studying the Maya culture of the pre-colonial and colonial eras benefit from a vast array of literature across various media, including stone inscriptions, glyphic texts on cave walls, painted glyphs on fragile bark paper codices, and colonial records in the Latin alphabet. The Yucatec Maya have left a significant diachronic record that offers insights into their culture. The editors of this volume argue that ‘Maya literature’ encompasses diverse genres created under different historical circumstances for varied needs and audiences. Some genres stem from pre-Columbian traditions, such as the notable Katun prophecies, while others arose from specific Spanish colonial administrative requirements, including petitions and land treaties. Additionally, some texts represent knowledge originally transmitted orally, like medical texts. Despite their differing functions and origins, these genres utilize various literary techniques and forms of the Yucatec Mayan language. Understanding these textual genres and their production contexts necessitates distinct methodological approaches. The ensuing discussion on the history of Yucatec Maya literary research aims to highlight key scholarly works that have influenced contemporary perspectives on Maya literature and its cultural, religious, and historical significance.