Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-19
STUDY OF HISTORY
: OF MAYA INDIANS
Smithsonian Institute Throws Light
on Race Of People Who Lived in
Mexico Centuries Ago.
MORLEY DIGS INTO PAST

WASHINGTON. March 1S.-The bureau
e. American ethnology Of the Smithsonian
institution has recently issued text
book. an archaeological primer so to speak,
for tho study Of the ancient writings OF
the Maya Indians who have Inhabited the
Atlantic coast plains of southern Mexico
ANA northern Central AmerfSR from time
uumemoraL The book Is entitled Am
nlroducuou to the study Of the Maya
Uieroglyphs AND is a. new form for the
diffusion Of knoN,oGA, in relation to one
branch Of American archaeology.
The author of this new book, Mr. SNl-
vanus GiisysDld Morley OF the Carnegie
Institution OF Washington. believes that
his work will be welcomed by students
the writings Of many previous invesH-
gators. designed to meet the needs OF the
specialist rather than the beginner, are
in the main too advanced and technical
for general comprehension. Consequently
Mr. Morley begins his work at the be
y. ginning. explaining what Maya hero
glyphs are and how they are made how
these people reckoned time, performed
their processes OF mathematics their
method of numerauon and inscription
and so on. all well illustrated with num-
erous plates and figures which graph
'''' ''''" '''
hs"rs OF
In the first chapter Mr., Morley writes
briefly on the habitat history, and man
ners and customs Of the Maya in order
that the student may gain general
idea Of the remarkable people whose
glyphic and calendar systems are pre-
s"nted for study. lhefe are no" aoo".
twenty uloeS Sp''N'i'7 - ,,a,, =
OF lne Maya '""- 90, ~. .r,o,,I
mduoh PeoFle -" "''' "'''s -, ,5,,.t,r
region 'i'cH an tnC' ''''' ,r ,,,ato.
'ah'pe'n'' iau"S''' ,-ht.aa
mala' ana lioI'ou' as - -,
by IN" ioIeoc'I7 VI ~,., u, ~ a., -.
actually the van OF CIV -, =,
world nul t'u'. '"''' -! - 80,
nant o' . uN,"o.,'7 i.as n,.,
m3r"aLle clNll@1''oi' "',"7 q" ~, ,,,'s -
past laelr manners an"
ally forgotten
Emerging from ."a'Oail'S
during the first or second century Vi w
Christian era WIN eAeel'cu' -
n system OF elaborate anu NV 'noNeu ",o'
glyphs, bespeaking poth shlll anu "'7
mentality which must nave 'aNe" a.
least two centuries 10 eNoNe' '"eS O's''
to develop. For 400 years theE eNpa'iusI
and grew until, IN the slNIh 'eHtU'S ~ ~,
..g1,NA
golden age OF the Maya N"S 'oo,'0"'
after that theh clNi'l"a''oH ei'i,'
lapsed, having run lIS HaIuIal No"''s "
they were driven from lhelr noI'e9 oE
stronger people Al an! event nv ,
later than those OF tneir OS0le o y"
the end OF our slNth ce"'uiS' no
found In their ola southern '''ie'
Customs of Interest.
Mr.. Morley mentions many of the Maya
custo,,,s witch are of interest They dis
figured and tattooed their faces In ac-
cordance with their religious beliefs:
souint-eve was striven for. and the
Youths had their faces scalded to prevent
the growth OF boards. The men decorated
their whole bodies with red paint ana
the women all except their faces, for In
that dav rnodesty decreed that the face
should be left unpainted. The women
vere chaste and modest; when passing
men on the road they stepped aside,
turned their backs, and hid their faces
in a retiring manner. On marriage the
Young husband was Obliged to work for
his hoard at the home of his wifes par
ents for five or six years, but the mother
in-law saw to it that her daughter req
him well. The Maya were OF jealous
nature and divorces were frequent anu
easily effected. Polygamy was unknown
Men suffered death for adultery out tne
womsns infamy was considered suil'e'-
ent punishment for her WIDOWS OF
widowers might marry without other GER
emony than partaking OF a meal III t'e
house of the espoused, II was cohslueFeu
\ improper for a Maya to marry his motner-
Hn-law, sister-in-law or aunt py marriase'
although he could marry first cousin,
Their hospitality knew no pouhuS' an"