The Language of Teotihuacan Writing

A groundbreaking analysis proposes that Teotihuacan's writing system, long considered enigmatic, encodes a Uto-Aztecan language ancestral to Nahuatl, Cora, and Huichol. The study challenges the notion that Teotihuacan signs lack linguistic specificity by demonstrating their alignment with Mesoamerican scribal traditions, including logograms (rebus principle) and 'double spelling.' Through comparative glyphic analysis, researchers argue for a coherent linguistic foundation, offering new interpretations of previously undeciphered symbols. This breakthrough suggests Teotihuacan's writing was not merely symbolic but conveyed meaningful content tied to an identifiable language family, reshaping our understanding of this iconic Mesoamerican civilization.

Pharao Hansen, M., & Helmke, C. (2025). The Language of Teotihuacan Writing. Current Anthropology, 66(5), 705–739. https://doi.org/10.1086/737863