[29] Add section for Mesoamerican chronology

.vscode/ltex.dictionary.en-US.txt

@@ -95,3 +95,6 @@ ergative
 absolutive
 Ergative
 Absolutive
+Epigraphers
+Preclassic
+Postclassic

references.bib

@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ @article{restallchuchiak2002
   journal        = {Ethnohistory},
   doi            = {10.1215/00141801-49-3-651}
 }
+
 @inbook{ritner1996,
   author         = {Ritner, Robert Kriech},
   chapter        = {The Coptic Alphabet},
@@ -197,6 +198,17 @@ @inbook{ritner1996
   year           = {1996}
 }
 
+@inbook{mendoza2001,
+  author         = {Mendoza, Ruben G.},
+  chapter        = {Mesoamerican Chronology: Periodization},
+  editor         = {Dav\'id Carrasco},
+  pages          = {222-226},
+  publisher      = {Oxford University Press},
+  title          = {The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Culture},
+  year           = {2001},
+  volume         = {2}
+}
+
 @book{macrilooper2003,
   author         = {Macri, Martha J. and Looper, Matthew G.},
   title          = {The New Catalog of Maya Hieroglyphs: Volume 1: The Classic Period Inscriptions},

terminology/terminology.tex

@@ -451,21 +451,56 @@ \subsection{Problems and limitations}
 \end{figure}
 % LTeX: enabled=true
 
-\section{Classic Mayan}
-The Maya texts are written in a language which Mayanists call ``Classic Mayan''.
-\textcquote{lawstuart2017}{
-    Classic Mayan was a predicate-initial language. 
-    A variety of word types could be used as predicates, including intransitive verbs, 
-    transitive verbs, and, in stative constructions, nouns.
-}
+\section{Mesoamerican chronology}
+Researchers divide the history pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several time periods 
+(\cite{mendoza2001}):
 
-\subsection{Word order}
-The word order in Classic Mayan for transitive clauses usually follows the 
-verb-object-subject (VOS) pattern.
-Example:
-\begin{center}
-    % LTeX: enabled=false
-    \mayan{u k'ahl tuun k\glottalstop{}elen hix}
+\begin{itemize}
+    \item The Paleo-Indian (first human habitation until 3500 BCE),
+    \item the Archaic (before 2600 BCE),
+    \item the Preclassic or Formative (2500 BCE --- 250 CE),
+    \item the Classic (250 --- 900 CE)
+    \item the Postclassic (900 --- 1521 CE)
+    \item and the Colonial Period (1521 --- 1821)
+\end{itemize}
+The periodization of Mesoamerica is based on archaeological and architectural observations,
+as well as on studies of the material culture and art.
+Originally, it was not anchored to an absolute chronology.
+It was rather based on the relative associations of cultural materials that had presumed or 
+even known age.
+The Classic period was eventually defined once the Maya calendar could be associated 
+with Gregorian calendar.
+The earliest monuments in the Classic appear around 300 CE and the latest ones around 900 CE framing
+the period span of the Classic period between 300 CE and 900 CE\@.
+Maya civilization before 300 CE has been coined Preclassic whereas Maya civilization
+after 900 CE until the arrival of the first Spaniards is called Postclassic.
+The Colonial period ended with the Mexican independence in 1821 ((\cite{mendoza2001})).
+
+\section{The language of Maya Hieroglyphs}
+The language of the Maya hieroglyphs is called ``Classic Mayan''.
+The term ``Classic Mayan'' refers to the language used in inscriptions and writings
+spanning from the early Preclassic until the time of the Spanish conquest.
+After decades of close collaboration of many Epigraphers, linguists, art historians and 
+archeologists it became possible to develop a deeper understanding of the language in the Maya 
+texts and to analysis its grammar, syntax and general structure (\cite{lawstuart2017}).
+Mayanists came to the conclusion that the Maya texts are written in
+cohesive and consistent form suggesting that the language of these texts are based on
+a common language.
+This section gives just a short introduction.
+For a more detailed explanation, please refer to the chapter ``Classic Mayan'' 
+(\Cref{chap:classic-mayan}).
+
+\subsection{Basic structure}
+\todo{Everything}
+% LTeX: enabled=false
+\blockquote[{\cite[24]{kettunenhelmke2020}}]{The word order in the Maya hieroglyphic texts, 
+and in the modern Mayan languages alike, usually follows the verb-object-subject (VOS) pattern 
+(unlike English which usually employs SVO-constructions). 
+However, very often in the hieroglyphic texts the object is missing or omitted, and clauses 
+usually begin with a date, giving us a typical formula of Maya texts: date-verb-subject. 
+Dates can often take up the major part of the texts, verbs only one or two glyph blocks in 
+each sentence, and personal names with titles can be as lengthy as the titles of European monarchs.
+}
     % LTeX: enabled=true
     The ``crouching jaguar'' binds the stone.
 \end{center}