Researchers at the University of Copenhagen are making strides in deciphering a series of mysterious signs left behind by the ancient civilization of Teotihuacan. This once-thriving metropolis in central Mexico, founded around 100 BC, boasted a population that reached up to 125,000 inhabitants at its peak. It was an important cultural and political center until it was eventually abandoned around 600 AD. Today, it’s known for monumental pyramids and a trove of archaeological artifacts.
The ancient people of Teotihuacan created vibrant murals and intricately decorated pottery, embedded with signs that have sparked debate among scholars regarding their potential as a written language. The principal investigators Magnus Pharao Hansen and Christopher Helmke are currently conducting the research. They suggest that these signs could be an early variant of the Uto-Aztecan language. Their discoveries have the potential to reframe how we think about ancient Mesoamerican societies and help us better understand the complex historical milieu from which Teotihuacan’s people emerged.
The Significance of Teotihuacan
Today Teotihuacan’s sheer scale and urbanism continues to inspire awe, a tribute to pre-Columbian civilizations’ innovative spirit and cultural diversity. The city’s impressive structures include the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, which are among the largest in the world. As a major political, cultural, and religious center in Mesoamerica, Teotihuacan attracted migrants from various surrounding localities and ethnicities. It made the nation a mecca for archaeologists and tourists eager to discover its ancient secrets.
Hansen and Helmke draw parallels between Teotihuacan and Rome, suggesting that both cities served as pivotal cultural centers in their respective eras. The contrast highlighted the historical importance of Teotihuacan in influencing the cultural milieu of ancient Mexico. Through its extensive city planning and their advanced culture, Teotihuacan set the stage for later Mesoamerican cultures.
“In Teotihuacan, you can still find pottery with text on it, and we know that more murals will turn up. It is clearly a limitation to our research that we do not have more texts. It would be great if we could find the same signs used in the same way in many more contexts. That would further support our hypothesis, but for now we have to work with the texts we have,” – Magnus Pharao Hansen
Deciphering the Ancient Signs
Hansen and Helmke are up against an uphill battle. They have to recreate an ancient version of Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, to trace linguistic connections with the signs discovered at Teotihuacan. Their research involves understanding how these ancient words sounded, which is crucial for solving the linguistic puzzles left by the city’s inhabitants.
This is why Hansen underlines the need for a well-defined linguistic conceptual framework. Without it, we would be casting about attempting to use modern oral languages to read ancient hieroglyphic texts. He compares this attempt to the reading of runic inscriptions on ancient stones without knowledge of the cultural context in which those writings were created.
“Otherwise, it would be a bit like trying to decipher the runes on the famous Danish runestones, such as the Jelling Stone, using modern Danish. That would be anachronistic. You have to try to read the text using a language that is closer in time and contemporary,” – Christophe Helmke
The researchers argue that some of these logograms, symbolic characters that stand for ideas or objects, could have phonetic values as well. This exciting discovery creates unprecedented opportunities to learn more about how writing in ancient Teotihuacan was used to communicate.
“No one before us has used a language that fits the time period to decipher this written language. Nor has anyone been able to prove that certain logograms had a phonetic value that could be used in contexts other than the logogram’s main meaning. In this way, we have created a method that can serve as a baseline for others to build on in order to expand their understanding of the texts,” – Magnus Pharao Hansen
Implications for Mesoamerican Studies
The broader implications of Hansen and Helmke’s finding go well beyond just academic interest. If their hypothesis is correct, it promises to change the way historians understand Mesoamerican cultures and their relationships to one another. The Uto-Aztecan language family includes indigenous languages such as Cora, Huichol, and Nahuatl. These languages represent a vibrant continuum of cultural and linguistic identity that emerges from the heart of Teotihuacan.
Hansen and Helmke’s methods stand as a diligent attempt to look beyond the orthodox framework of Mesoamerican historical narratives. Though numerous cultures throughout Mexico can be easily linked to concrete archaeological sites, Teotihuacan stands eerily unexplained. Familiarizing ourselves with its language and cultural practices might untangle long-hidden threads between other ancient cultures.
“If we are right, it is not only remarkable that we have deciphered a writing system. It could have implications for our entire understanding of Mesoamerican cultures and, of course, point to a solution to the mystery surrounding the inhabitants of Teotihuacan,” – Christophe Helmke