This tells the story of the decipherment of the Mayan script & of those who made the breakthroughs. Years ago, the ruined monuments of Maya civilization were mute, the hieroglyphic inscriptions on stelae, temples & palaces largely unread. Today, thanks to a scientific breakthrough, these inscribed remains are revealing a history lost to humanity for a millennium. What do the glyphs tell us about the Maya world? Why did it take nearly 150 years after the rediscovery of Maya cities to crack the code? Michael Coe is uniquely placed to give the inside story of this revolution in understanding. Himself a Maya scholar, he's known or worked with all the main protagonists. He interweaves a tale of intellectual attack & counterattack with a full overview of what we now know about the ancient Maya themselves. Far from being the simple, peace-loving stargazers of Thompson's imagination, they emerge as a much more complex culture: obsessed with warfare, dynastic rivalries & ritual bloodletting, yet creatures of supreme masterpieces in art & architecture. This is a eadable detective story, an informed account of one of the most exciting intellectual adventures of the age.