- Department of Archaeology & History
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
La Trobe University | Bundoora 3086 | Australia
- Studied Anthropology of the Americas, Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology, and Egyptology at the University of ... moreStudied Anthropology of the Americas, Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology, and Egyptology at the University of Bonn beginning in 1998. Master of Arts awarded in 2004 with an epigraphic study of the inscriptions of Tortuguero, Mexico. Doctoral fellowship recipient at La Trobe University in Melbourne from 2011 to 2014. Doctorate completed in 2015 with a dissertation on the orthographic conventions of Maya writing and phonemic reconstruction of Classic Mayan. Staff member of the Proyecto Arqueológico Tamarindito (Guatemala) from 2010 to 2012. UNESCO advisor for the Proyecto Arqueológico Naranjo-Sa'al, Guatemala, since 2022. Vice President of Wayeb (European Association of Mayanists) from 2014 to 2016. Honorary Associate of La Trobe University from 2015 to 2020, Adjunct Research Fellow since 2020. Recipient of a 2015 Nancy Millis Medal. From 2014 to 2020, Research Assistant in the project "Text Database and Dictionary of Classic Mayan" of the North-Rhine Westphalian Academy of the Sciences, Humanities and the Arts and the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities at the University of Bonn. Since 2022, Research Manager Digital Editions for the project "Corpus Musicae Ottomanicae" at the Max Weber Foundation in Bonn.
The major area of interest is the Classic Maya culture. Epigraphic interests primarily in historiographic aspects and systems of political and territorial organization, as well as typological investigations of the writing system. Linguistic points of focus on comparative and quantitative methods in Classic Mayan historical linguistics, particularly in the areas of phonology and morphology.edit
"This publication is intended as the first attempt to compile a corpus as comprehensive as possible of the Maya site of Tamarindito, Petén, Guatemala. It will consider all monuments that were previously designated, whether these monuments... more
"This publication is intended as the first attempt to compile a corpus as comprehensive as possible of the Maya site of Tamarindito, Petén, Guatemala. It will consider all monuments that were previously designated, whether these monuments bear hieroglyphic texts and/or iconography or no carving at all. It also documents miscellaneous objects such as ceramic artefacts or graffiti.
Tamarindito is a heavily looted site. While some of its monuments or fragments remain in situ, others have been rescued during archaeological operations or for safekeeping measures under the authority of the Instituto de Arqueología e Historia (IDAEH) of Guatemala. Tragically, a great portion of the monuments of Tamarindito have disappeared into private collections, where some pieces have been rediscovered. Others remain lost.
Another problem has been the fragmentary and inconsistent documentation of the corpus, to which I will refer later in this publication. I have therefore attempted to gather all available information on the inscriptions and consolidate them in this corpus. I am aware that not all is reconstructable from the different sources, and certain information may still be lacking.
Nevertheless, this publication is able to provide both photographic and graphic documentation for a majority of the known monuments and inscriptions from Tamarindito. The idea of compiling a record grew during my first stay in the ruins during the second field season of the Proyecto Arqueológico Tamarindito conducted by Vanderbilt University, Nashville, under the directorship of Markus Eberl in 2010. A preliminary report has been previously published by me. It focused mainly on those monuments that still remained in the archaeological zone. With this publication I would like to fill in existing gaps and present all materials that are available from fieldwork and archival research. This does not mean that further research and field work will not alter the information presented herein. On the contrary, further excavations are expected to shed more light on certain monuments that are just reported from more or less in situ descriptions.
Previous studies on adjacent sites, such as Dos Pilas or Arroyo de Piedra, have already shown that Tamarindito played a major role in the Classic Maya political landscape of the region. The documentation of the corpus has further revealed the major importance of the site. It is hoped that this present contribution will add an important component of the epigraphy of the Petexbatun region and beyond, and facilitate more research."
Tamarindito is a heavily looted site. While some of its monuments or fragments remain in situ, others have been rescued during archaeological operations or for safekeeping measures under the authority of the Instituto de Arqueología e Historia (IDAEH) of Guatemala. Tragically, a great portion of the monuments of Tamarindito have disappeared into private collections, where some pieces have been rediscovered. Others remain lost.
Another problem has been the fragmentary and inconsistent documentation of the corpus, to which I will refer later in this publication. I have therefore attempted to gather all available information on the inscriptions and consolidate them in this corpus. I am aware that not all is reconstructable from the different sources, and certain information may still be lacking.
Nevertheless, this publication is able to provide both photographic and graphic documentation for a majority of the known monuments and inscriptions from Tamarindito. The idea of compiling a record grew during my first stay in the ruins during the second field season of the Proyecto Arqueológico Tamarindito conducted by Vanderbilt University, Nashville, under the directorship of Markus Eberl in 2010. A preliminary report has been previously published by me. It focused mainly on those monuments that still remained in the archaeological zone. With this publication I would like to fill in existing gaps and present all materials that are available from fieldwork and archival research. This does not mean that further research and field work will not alter the information presented herein. On the contrary, further excavations are expected to shed more light on certain monuments that are just reported from more or less in situ descriptions.
Previous studies on adjacent sites, such as Dos Pilas or Arroyo de Piedra, have already shown that Tamarindito played a major role in the Classic Maya political landscape of the region. The documentation of the corpus has further revealed the major importance of the site. It is hoped that this present contribution will add an important component of the epigraphy of the Petexbatun region and beyond, and facilitate more research."
Tamarindito is the oldest Petexbatun kingdom with an emblem glyph that eventually became a regional toponym still used in the Late Classic. The ousting of Dos Pilas ruler K’inich Chan K’awil in A.D. 761 initiated a balkanization of the... more
Tamarindito is the oldest Petexbatun kingdom with an emblem glyph that eventually became a regional toponym still used in the Late Classic. The ousting of Dos Pilas ruler K’inich Chan K’awil in A.D. 761 initiated a balkanization of the Petexbatun region with devastating wars between regional centres. It destabilised the political landscape and gave rise to competing ‘petty kingdoms’. Tamarindito’s kings vanished at the end of the eighth century A.D. Based on our recent epigraphic and archaeological investigations, we pursue two questions: (1) how did Tamarindito’s elite contribute to the downfall of Dos Pilas and eventually disappear? and (2) how did Tamarindito’s non-elites fare during the balkanization of the Petexbatun region?
The consequences of mutual attacks left Dos Pilas in ruins. Royal architecture was torn down hastily to erect defensive systems. Tamarindito remained largely unaffected, with only few fortifications in its twin capital Arroyo de Piedra and its last attested king still properly buried. The Petexbatun wars allow us to examine strategies for the continuation of dynastic power and especially how it was exercised during the volatile balkanization period. Even though the central authority did not survive for long, the socio-economic effects on non-elites were more limited. Our excavations reveal continued settlement activity in Tamarindito’s perinuclear and peripheral zones. A Late Classic workshop where prestigious goods were crafted suggests a power shift towards non-elites.
The consequences of mutual attacks left Dos Pilas in ruins. Royal architecture was torn down hastily to erect defensive systems. Tamarindito remained largely unaffected, with only few fortifications in its twin capital Arroyo de Piedra and its last attested king still properly buried. The Petexbatun wars allow us to examine strategies for the continuation of dynastic power and especially how it was exercised during the volatile balkanization period. Even though the central authority did not survive for long, the socio-economic effects on non-elites were more limited. Our excavations reveal continued settlement activity in Tamarindito’s perinuclear and peripheral zones. A Late Classic workshop where prestigious goods were crafted suggests a power shift towards non-elites.
In onomastics, toponyms embrace a broad variety of categories to name geographical entities, objects and features, whether they are natural or artifical. This paper pursues the question of how toponyms can be classified and seeks examples... more
In onomastics, toponyms embrace a broad variety of categories to name geographical entities, objects and features, whether they are natural or artifical. This paper pursues the question of how toponyms can be classified and seeks examples to illustrate these cases, involving a structural approach of how to identify toponyms in the hieroglyphic record. This in turn leads to the question how toponyms of the different categories are formed, by compounding and affixation patterns. Also, linguistic peculiarities may be indicators to identify a Classic Mayan language geography, also in comparison with general onomastics. This relates to the identification of exonyms in the texts as well, as they can be proposed for Teotihuacan place names. Finally, the formation of demonyms relates how toponyms are integrated into the socio-political sphere and help to shape identities.
A spectre is haunting Maya epigraphy, the spectre of sign properties and orthographic premises – both a constant source of vexation and argument in recent years. A functional classification into cenemic and pleremic signs has long been... more
A spectre is haunting Maya epigraphy, the spectre of sign properties and orthographic premises – both a constant source of vexation and argument in recent years. A functional classification into cenemic and pleremic signs has long been established. New classes of graphemes and underlying representational rules were proposed since then, debating the nature of Maya writing: diacritics, determinatives, or morphosyllables; to name only a few. Some of these have and continue to cause considerable epigraphic debate and confusion. A 2011 “Written Language & Literacy” issue was devoted to methodologies to define writing system typologies and advocated a stronger comparative approach, a recommendation this paper fully supports in its discussion of Maya hieroglyphic writing.
Comparative graphematics is not entirely new in Maya epigraphy. But instead of using arguments from other writing systems for a line of support, it is worthwhile to take a more multi-faceted approach with comparisons, thereby obtaining a clearer classificatory benefit. For example, homophony and determinatives graphematically differ in Maya, Egyptian, or Cuneiform writing; as diverging emanations of a logo-syllabic system. Contrasting all three systems leads to a clear understanding of similarities as well as differences and leads to a more precise typology.
Comparative graphematics is not entirely new in Maya epigraphy. But instead of using arguments from other writing systems for a line of support, it is worthwhile to take a more multi-faceted approach with comparisons, thereby obtaining a clearer classificatory benefit. For example, homophony and determinatives graphematically differ in Maya, Egyptian, or Cuneiform writing; as diverging emanations of a logo-syllabic system. Contrasting all three systems leads to a clear understanding of similarities as well as differences and leads to a more precise typology.
Only in roughly the past decade, it has become acknowledged that the Classic Mayan language is not a monolithic block. In actuality, a diverse range of vernacular forms pervade Maya hieroglyphic writing. Instead of being a prestige... more
Only in roughly the past decade, it has become acknowledged that the Classic Mayan language is not a monolithic block. In actuality, a diverse range of vernacular forms pervade Maya hieroglyphic writing. Instead of being a prestige language used by the elite, Maya writing to a certain degree reflects a substratum of spoken languages. This paper specifically investigates grammatical forms that point to a specific branch or language that is represented in the script. A better understanding of the grammar of the Mayan languages allows for a more correct identification of these vernacular influences.
I will showcase several vernacular forms, some already discussed in the literature, and add new thoughts on their morphological analysis. I conclude with how such epigraphic data helps in calibrating data from historical linguistics thereby understanding the dynamic exchange between Mayan languages in Classic times.
I will showcase several vernacular forms, some already discussed in the literature, and add new thoughts on their morphological analysis. I conclude with how such epigraphic data helps in calibrating data from historical linguistics thereby understanding the dynamic exchange between Mayan languages in Classic times.
The meaning of emblem glyphs is now widely accepted as an indicator or presentation of a specific site or polity over which a site had domain. It is well known that specific emblems show unusual patterns of both individual and spatial... more
The meaning of emblem glyphs is now widely accepted as an indicator or presentation of a specific site or polity over which a site had domain. It is well known that specific emblems show unusual patterns of both individual and spatial distribution. Thus, a mere territorial reference might not be appropriate to describe the complex socio-political dimension of emblem glyphs.
This paper will argue by using some crucial texts that emblem glyphs served as an emic identifier for the elite groups governing polities. A number of showcases from the epigraphic record reveal political statements concerning the application of emblem glyphs. The examples include the sharing of the same emblem across sites, the combination of two distinct emblems in one or more sites, and the migration of emblems between sites.
If we subsume this information under the variations in emblem glyphs according to a person’s current sociopolitical role, we get an important insight into how the elite self-conception in Classic times shaped political identification, relations and boudaries. The processes behind the genesis, distribution and extinction of emblems do not only inform about the self-identity of the people referring to this emblem, but also about the rise and fall of the cities they ruled.
This paper will argue by using some crucial texts that emblem glyphs served as an emic identifier for the elite groups governing polities. A number of showcases from the epigraphic record reveal political statements concerning the application of emblem glyphs. The examples include the sharing of the same emblem across sites, the combination of two distinct emblems in one or more sites, and the migration of emblems between sites.
If we subsume this information under the variations in emblem glyphs according to a person’s current sociopolitical role, we get an important insight into how the elite self-conception in Classic times shaped political identification, relations and boudaries. The processes behind the genesis, distribution and extinction of emblems do not only inform about the self-identity of the people referring to this emblem, but also about the rise and fall of the cities they ruled.
The present article summarizes several aspects of recent research in the Classic Maya site of Tamarindito in the Department of Petén, Guatemala, separated into archaeology and epigraphy. The archaeological section will focus on results of... more
The present article summarizes several aspects of recent research in the Classic Maya site of Tamarindito in the Department of Petén, Guatemala, separated into archaeology and epigraphy. The archaeological section will focus on results of the 2010 field season of the Tamarindito Archaeological Project, directed by Markus Eberl. An unusual walled group excavated this year is discussed in more detail along with its implications on the borders of Classic Maya centers. In the epigraphy section, Sven Gronemeyer provides new insights into the written history of the site and its hieroglyphic corpus.
We present the results from the second field season at the site of Tamarindito, Petexbatún, carried out in 2010. This work consisted of three components: a) systematic survey of the northeastern area of the Petexbatún; b) mapping the site... more
We present the results from the second field season at the site of Tamarindito, Petexbatún, carried out in 2010. This work consisted of three components: a) systematic survey of the northeastern area of the Petexbatún; b) mapping the site of Tamarindito; c) excavations in the residential groups of Tamarindito. The principal focus of the Project is to analyze the lives of commoners in Maya culture. It is of great interest to understand their internal social organization and development over time, beginning in the Preclassic and ending in the Late Classic, when Tamarindito was abandoned.
Previamente limitado a ciertos grupos (es decir, círculos esotéricos y de la Nueva era), el llamado “fin del mundo” se desplaza rápidamente al foco público. Según las informaciones calendáricas en el Monumento 6 de Tortuguero (13.0.0.0.0,... more
Previamente limitado a ciertos grupos (es decir, círculos esotéricos y de la Nueva era), el llamado “fin del mundo” se desplaza rápidamente al foco público. Según las informaciones calendáricas en el Monumento 6 de Tortuguero (13.0.0.0.0, 4 Ajaw 3 K’ank’in), se puede fechar este evento en el solsticio de invierno de 2012, que es el 21 de diciembre.
Hay profecías para el k’atun 4 Ajaw en el libro de Chilam Balam de Tizimín (MS pp. 19-20), pero la fuente más citada es el texto jeroglífico del Monumento 6 de Tortuguero, específicamente del panel derecho. Gracias a nuevos materiales de documentación, el autor junto con Barbara MacLeod pudo extraer informaciones epigráficas no consideradas previamente.
En lo siguiente, voy a presentar la evidencia epigráfica de Tortuguero, un sitio al pie del escarpe del Cerro El Tortuguero en Tabasco con una interpretación comparativa, es decir, con materiales etnohistóricos y modernos. La mención del evento futuro de la terminación del 13º bak’tun sigue un programa que sitúa el señor de Tortuguero, Bahlam Ajaw (r. 644-679 d. C.), en un narrativo mítico-histórico, conectando el inicio de la era actual en 13.0.0.0.0, 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u (11 de agosto, 3114 a. C.) con su reflejo en el futuro. Una pregunta muy importante relacionada con la terminación del 13º bak’tun es la consideración del sujeto de profecías en la literatura maya. ¿Cómo se refirieron los mayas a eventos futuros y en qué referencia temporal?
Hay profecías para el k’atun 4 Ajaw en el libro de Chilam Balam de Tizimín (MS pp. 19-20), pero la fuente más citada es el texto jeroglífico del Monumento 6 de Tortuguero, específicamente del panel derecho. Gracias a nuevos materiales de documentación, el autor junto con Barbara MacLeod pudo extraer informaciones epigráficas no consideradas previamente.
En lo siguiente, voy a presentar la evidencia epigráfica de Tortuguero, un sitio al pie del escarpe del Cerro El Tortuguero en Tabasco con una interpretación comparativa, es decir, con materiales etnohistóricos y modernos. La mención del evento futuro de la terminación del 13º bak’tun sigue un programa que sitúa el señor de Tortuguero, Bahlam Ajaw (r. 644-679 d. C.), en un narrativo mítico-histórico, conectando el inicio de la era actual en 13.0.0.0.0, 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk’u (11 de agosto, 3114 a. C.) con su reflejo en el futuro. Una pregunta muy importante relacionada con la terminación del 13º bak’tun es la consideración del sujeto de profecías en la literatura maya. ¿Cómo se refirieron los mayas a eventos futuros y en qué referencia temporal?
The research project "Corpus Musicae Ottomanicae" dedicates itself to the critical editions of Near Eastern music manuscripts that saw increasing production from the early 19th century onwards to record music especially centered in... more
The research project "Corpus Musicae Ottomanicae" dedicates itself to the critical editions of Near Eastern music manuscripts that saw increasing production from the early 19th century onwards to record music especially centered in Ottoman Istanbul. The principal way to write down this originally oral tradition was in Hampartsum notation, invented around 1812 by an Armenian of the same name before it became discontinued with the introduction of Western staff notation from 1830 onwards. Within the project's scope, there are three areas of research and deliverables: the indexing of sources in a catalog, the music edition under consideration of modal and rhythmic principles of Ottoman music, and the text edition of sung poetry mainly in Ottoman Turkish written in various scripts. Overarching are the digital humanities to present the research output in a holistic approach. This paper will focus on the design of representing the text edition in TEI XML format.
The present note is about a very rare lexeme in the epigraphic record: waal ‘fan’. Among the handful of examples, a unique context on the polychrome ceramic vessel K2914, the famous Denver Art Museum vase, allows identification of a... more
The present note is about a very rare lexeme in the epigraphic record: waal ‘fan’. Among the handful of examples, a unique context on the polychrome ceramic vessel K2914, the famous Denver Art Museum vase, allows identification of a hitherto unrecognized courtly function: yok waal as the ‘fan-bearer’ or ‘fan-wielder’.
One contributor to the calligraphic complexity of Classic Maya writing is the ability afforded by the script to create allographs. There are examples with multiple stages of extraction and simplification to create allographs. In order to... more
One contributor to the calligraphic complexity of Classic Maya writing is the ability afforded by the script to create allographs. There are examples with multiple stages of extraction and simplification to create allographs. In order to create a unique graph, distinctive parts of the feline WAY icon are merged into the well-known allograph with its right half covered in jaguar fur, although both allographs represent the very same sign.
Research Interests:
This epigraphic note reviews David Stuart’s proposal for a t’a syllabogram and enriches the evidence for his reading by providing more examples in different productive contexts.
This article pursues a critical review of the so-called morphosyllabicsigns proposed by Houston, Robertson & Stuart in 2001. These are supposed to be syllabic signs carrying meaning to spell grammatical morphemes. I would like to argue... more
This article pursues a critical review of the so-called morphosyllabicsigns proposed by Houston, Robertson & Stuart in 2001. These are supposed to be syllabic signs carrying meaning to spell grammatical morphemes. I would like to argue from a phonological and grammatological perspective why I believe that morphosyllables cannot work as proposed. By comparing the spelling principlesof preposed morphemes with suffixes, I expose a pattern that points to a simple syllabic use in these cases. There are indications that sound integrations at morpheme boundaries are realised by spelling alterations and that the recipient’s knowledge of the written language was required to mentally anticipate under-spelled phonemes.
This study investigates the orthography of Maya writing on an empirical and statistical basis. It restricts itself to the realisation of certain grammatical morphemes that are selected as representative showcases. Furthermore, the... more
This study investigates the orthography of Maya writing on an empirical and statistical basis. It restricts itself to the realisation of certain grammatical morphemes that are selected as representative showcases. Furthermore, the question of spelling alternations at the morphemic boundary between the root and grammatical suffix are investigated. The process of re-transferring the epigraphically attested grapheme string back into a phoneme string has proven to be an ambiguous process.
A statistical assessment of the underlying representational rules for grammatical suffixes needs to consider both phonology and function. The epigraphic evidence is therefore first viewed against the linguistic data of relevant Mayan languages and before the background of historical linguistics. Based on previous epigraphic research, hypotheses can be formulated, how these grammatical forms can be represented in writing.
With this knowledge, samples are gathered from the hieroglyphic corpus. These samples are subject to a three-tier analytical process: (1) linguistic analysis and attribution with analytical parameters in a data base, (2) significance tests for spelling patterns and other methods from quantitative linguistics, and (3) discussion of the test results against the linguistic hypotheses.
The tests largely confirm specific orthographic rules in a variety of environments. The rules also provide an important contribution to the vocalisation of grammatical suffixes and therefore to the pronunciation of the Classic Mayan language. The specification of standard patterns also enables a better explanations of deviations. Thus, more light can be shed on a large range of aspects: (1) language genealogy and geography, (2) vernacular influences, (3) socio-linguistics, or (4) scribal schools, to name only a few.
More confidence in a standardised Classic Mayan orthography also fosters increased trust in the vocalisation of the language and ultimately more confidence to more correctly read and interpret hieroglyphic texts. It is one step towards a consolidated grammar of Classic Mayan.
A statistical assessment of the underlying representational rules for grammatical suffixes needs to consider both phonology and function. The epigraphic evidence is therefore first viewed against the linguistic data of relevant Mayan languages and before the background of historical linguistics. Based on previous epigraphic research, hypotheses can be formulated, how these grammatical forms can be represented in writing.
With this knowledge, samples are gathered from the hieroglyphic corpus. These samples are subject to a three-tier analytical process: (1) linguistic analysis and attribution with analytical parameters in a data base, (2) significance tests for spelling patterns and other methods from quantitative linguistics, and (3) discussion of the test results against the linguistic hypotheses.
The tests largely confirm specific orthographic rules in a variety of environments. The rules also provide an important contribution to the vocalisation of grammatical suffixes and therefore to the pronunciation of the Classic Mayan language. The specification of standard patterns also enables a better explanations of deviations. Thus, more light can be shed on a large range of aspects: (1) language genealogy and geography, (2) vernacular influences, (3) socio-linguistics, or (4) scribal schools, to name only a few.
More confidence in a standardised Classic Mayan orthography also fosters increased trust in the vocalisation of the language and ultimately more confidence to more correctly read and interpret hieroglyphic texts. It is one step towards a consolidated grammar of Classic Mayan.