Writing in Space: Glottographic and Semasiographic Notation at Teotihuacan

Research at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Teotihuacan reveals that ancient scribes employed a sophisticated notational system, consciously distinguishing between glottographic (language-based) and semasiographic (idea-based) writing. This distinction was achieved through the strategic use of graphic space in speech scrolls, where infixes always represented semasiographic elements while affixes could encompass both types. The study applies an integrational theory of writing to challenge Western-centric notions that true writing must solely represent language, demonstrating a nuanced approach to notation that predates and differs from known systems in the West.

Colas, P. R. (2011). WRITING IN SPACE: GLOTTOGRAPHIC AND SEMASIOGRAPHIC NOTATION AT TEOTIHUACAN. Ancient Mesoamerica, 22(1), 13–25. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0956536111000046