Mayan Hieroglyphs Mayan writing, the second system in Mesoamerica, is very complex and complete, using many different hieroglyphic symbols to represent any sort of information they wished, including complete texts, without any oral explanation necessary. The Mayan system used symbols or glyphs in various ways. Some resemble Egyptian hieroglyphs, providing translation into syllable sounds, which could be put together to create words. Others are pictograms, like the first Mesoamerican writing system described above, where pictures are used to represent names and places. A group of 20 head glyphs was used to represent numbers, another series represents deities and yet others represent the days.
Mayan language is tied closely to their art.
Glyphs are read from left to right and top to bottom and present a picture. Unfortunately, the writing is very specific and one needs to have an initial understanding of the language it represents. There are many local variances of symbols and the writing changed over time as the system developed. A single glyph can carry multiple meanings, depending on context and location within the whole picture being presented. Over 800 separate Mayan glyphs have been identified to date, and because of the overall complexity of the system, only a fraction have been translated, with the exception of astronomical and numerical symbols, which have been understood for a long time.