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Volume 8, Issue 4 The Message Made Visible * By Chris Scott © 2014 * The title format is borrowed from Breaking the Maya Code by December 15, 2014 Michael D. Coe. In this book there is a chapter entitled “The Word Made Visible.” I have been fascinated settings, including myths of the multiple attempts at lately by a Mayan art form creation and human origin. creating people ensured called the speech scroll. One of the earliest explicit that gods could be nour- The speech scroll is an discussions of speech ished through compliant image that seems very scrolls appears in a post- human speech and prayer scriptural when you con- humously published report (Christenson 2000:49, 128- sider a very prevalent by Hermann Beyer 134).” 4 theme carried throughout (1955:33-34). Thanks to From the very begin- the Bible. God “ Spoke ” the the foundation he laid, ning of time God is speak- world into existence. 1 there is much that can be ing the “Word” and like the “And I, God, said, Let said about scrolls. In some scriptures, it goes forth like there be light, and there texts, such as the myth- a scroll. “ So shall my word was light…And again, I, ogenic Codex Vindobonen- be that goeth forth out of said Let there be a firma- sis of Mixtec provenance, my mouth; it shall not re- ment in the midst of the speech marks an attribute turn unto me void, but it waters; and it was so, even of humanity at the begin- shall accomplish that as I spake. And I said, Let ning of time; such orations which I please, and it shall it divide the waters from relate to the founding and prosper in the thing the waters; and it was making of all things whereto I sent it. ”5 done .” 2 From the Book of (Anders et al. 1992:81). The Mayan artists Mormon we read “ For, Speech also figures were able to capture this behold, by the power of his prominently in the creation image in an art form called word man came upon the account of the K’iche’ the speech scroll. The face of the earth, which Maya Popol Vuh, in which speech scroll emanates earth was created by the genesis results from a dia- from the mouth and is power of his word .” 3 logue between the creator shaped like a question “In Mesoamerica, deities (Christenson mark. (Figure 1) Often it is speech occurs in varying 2000:40-41). In addition, accompaniedContinued by on hiero-Page 2 200 HCETI Accomplishments By Neil Steede © 2014 The Hill Cumorah Expe- believe to be the 200 greatest listed here, please let us dition Team came into exis- contributions made by know. tence at about the year HCETI. There are many The following is a list of 2000. Neil Steede had a more that are worth men- accomplishments that have prayer support group known tioning, but here I am con- been made by HCETI over as the “K group” which met centrating exclusively on the the last 15 years. This is not monthly in Neil's basement. archaeological endeavors. a complete list nor is it fully Originally the brainchild of Spin-off groups have formed explanatory. Some of these Tim Brown, the Hill Cu- over the years, most notably items are projects that began morah Expedition Team, The Mexican Epigraphic 40 years ago, but came to Inc. (HECTI) wanted to be Society . completion under HCETI. more than a prayer support Most recently this group An example of this latter is group. They wanted to sup- was supportive for a sympo- ContinuedContinued on on Page Page 4 3 port the archaeological en- sium held at the Independ- deavors and exploration’s ence Heritage House. There Inside This Issue HILL CUMORAH EXPEDITION TEAM, INC that Neil was pursuing. The we found a validation of group grew in strength over everything that HCETI The Message Made Visible Cont . 2 - 3 the years and has more than stands for. It also should be accomplished its original stated, “Here you only see 200 Accomplishments Cont. 3 –12 goals. the tip of the iceberg.” If Since I am the recipient anyone should feel some- of most of this endeavor I what slighted in some way Adventures in Archaeology 9 & 10 CumorahMessenger here put forward what I because of something not The Message Made Visible continued glyphs. “ Speech scrolls ensure that, “Wherefore, I chose these things, to through graphic means, sound can be finish my record upon them, which re- seen as something concrete and imper- mainder of my record I shall take from ishable ”4 the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write Closely related to the speech scroll the hundredth part of the things of my is the breath scroll. “ Late Classic Maya people .9 vessel scenes often portray speech “To those far-off Maya, writing scrolls as a series of dots in a single was of divine origin: it was the gift of curving line, quite probably also an Itzammna, the great creator divinity allusion to “breath”, yik’al t’an “wind whom the people of Yucatan on the eve or sound from one who speaks” --all of the Conquest considered to be the these terms deriving from the root ik’, first priest. Each year in the month Uo- or “wind,” (Figure 2) perhaps in the the same month in which we found our- sense of “precious things” (Barrera selves on the Neva embankment- the Vasquez 1980:977). priests invoke him by bringing out their The breath scroll as precious books and spreading them out art seems inspired in on fresh boughs in the house of the and of itself, but also local lord. Sacred pom incense was appears as inspiration burned to the god, and the wooden issuing forth from the boards which formed the cover of the nose of the person. books were anointed with “Mayan (Figure 3) Breath is also Figure 2 blue” pigment and virgin water .” 10 something that is scrip- Ik' Symbol When we consider the word and tural from the the sacredness of it and our scripture beginning of “So shall my word be that goeth forth the creation Figure 1—Speech Scroll out of my mouth; it shall not return “and the Lord unto me void, but it shall accomplish God formed was taking place between the Maya and that which I please and it shall prosper man of the dust their Creator. Recorded words were in the thing whereto I sent it. ”5 We can of the ground, very important to the Maya when we compare that to the coming of Jesus Figure 3 and breathed Breath Scroll consider the sheer volume of writings Christ. He is closely associated with the into his nostrils that they left in the form of codices and word and gospel as it comes forth from the breath of life; and man became a hieroglyphs. “ And it hath become expe- the mouth of God. “ In the beginning living soul ”6 dient that I, according to the will of was the gospel preached through the “Inspiration, from the Latin inspi- God… should make a record of these Son. And the gospel was the word, and ratio, means to be in-breathed or blown things, which have been done ;” 8 the word was with the Son, and the Son upon.”........”By the wind… by the breath…. by the Spirit. That which is Figure 4—Breath Scrolls at Chichen Itza inspired is God-breathed, spirit-blown. The word is defined as, ‘a supernatural or divine influence upon the prophets, the apostles, and the sacred writers, or upon men, to enable them to communi- cate divine truth.” 7 At Chichen Itza there are many examples of breath scrolls coming out of the faces of several buildings. One building has over twenty figures that are almost screaming “Look at me, I am trying to tell you something.” (Figure 4) So perhaps speech and breath scrolls could be seen as that which is inspired by a higher being and worthy of putting down in a concrete form of art for a testimony to the world of what Page 2 CUMORAH MESSENGER The Message Made Visible continued was with God, and the Son was of as ever the rain had upon the earth, to 1Shirley Heater, 2014, Quetzal Codex, God .” 11 God’s promise of a redeemer is make it fruitful. [2.] That according to Issue 7 , Oak Grove, MO, Center for manifested in the flesh and His Word is the different errands on which the word Mesoamerican Research, p. 5 sure. “ The Lord Shall come down from is sent it will have its different effects. If 2Genesis 1:6,9 IV; 1:3,6 KJ, Bible heaven among the children of men, And it be not a savour of life unto life, it will 3Jacob 3:12, Book of Mormon shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay .” 12 be a savour of death unto death; if it do 4Steven Houston, David Stuart, and The effectiveness of his word in the not convince the conscience and soften Karl Taube, 2006, The Memory of kingdom of providence and grace, the heart, it will sear the conscience and Bones: Body, Being, and Experience which is as certain as the former: "So harden the heart; if it do not ripen for among the Classic Maya , Austin, TX, shall my word be, as powerful in the heaven, it will ripen for hell. One way University of Texas Press, p. 183-184 mouth of prophets as it is in the hand of or other, it will take effect.
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  • Mythological Emblem Glyphs of Ancient Maya Kings

    Mythological Emblem Glyphs of Ancient Maya Kings

    Contributions in New World Archaeology 3: 91–126 MYTHOLOGICAL EMBLEM GlyPHS OF Ancient Maya KINGS CHristopHe Helmke University of Copenhagen, Denmark Abstract Heinrich Berlin’s identification of Emblem Glyphs in 1958 has rightly been hailed as one of the major breakthroughs in the decipherment of ancient Maya writing. Although their exact function and meaning was unclear at the time, these are now recognized to serve as exalted regal titles that incorporate toponyms, or place names. However, what interests me here is not so much the geo-political importance of Emblem Glyphs, but the toponyms that are used to form these. Many of the toponyms that are the basis of Emblem Glyphs can now be read and can be matched up with corresponding places. In pairing off the Emblem Glyphs with their earthly referents, one is left with a peculiar group of toponyms that are clearly otherworldly. It is these supernatural Emblem Glyphs that I would like to discuss here and the role they played in legitimizing the monarchs that bore these, as titles that hark back to great antiquity in deep mythic time. The importance of these place names stems from the pivotal mythological events that are said to have transpired there, which sheds light not only on the origin of these titles, but also on the permanence and legacy of emic conceptions of deep-time. Resumen La identificación de los glifos emblema efectuada por Heinrich Berlin en 1958 ha sido justamente aclamada como uno de los mayores progresos en el desciframiento de la escritura maya. A pesar de que en aquel entonces su función y significado exacto no eran del todo claros, se ha reconocido que estos funcionaron como títulos reales exaltados que incorporaron topónimos o nombres de lugares.