In the mid-twentieth century, scholars of Maya hieroglyphic writing widely believed that the inscriptions on stone monuments, or stelae, were purely astronomical calendars and mystical calculations. The prevailing view, championed by leading Mayanist J. Eric S. Thompson, held that the Maya were a peaceful, time-obsessed people whose writing did not record historical events or individuals. However, Tatiana Proskouriakoff, an architect and archaeologist, challenged this consensus through meticulous spatial and temporal analysis of the stelae at Piedras Negras. By plotting the dates inscribed on consecutive monuments, she discovered that the timespans between key dates corresponded perfectly to the natural length of a human life. Proskouriakoff proposed that these monuments actually commemorated the lifespans, accessions, and military victories of historical rulers.
The writer wants to conclude the passage with a sentence that reinforces the significance of Proskouriakoff's discovery and ties back to the paragraph's discussion of Maya writing. Which of the following sentences best accomplishes this goal?
- Her groundbreaking insight shifted the paradigm of Maya studies, revealing that the complex glyphs recorded a rich history of human dynasties rather than mere calendar calculations.Answer
- BHer research proved that the monuments recorded actual history, this discovery forever changed how historians read the Maya script.
- CBy demonstrating that these carvings commemorated real leaders, she opens the door to a new understanding of the classic Maya period and revolutionized modern archaeology.
- DAlthough J. Eric S. Thompson initially rejected her ideas, he eventually wrote a preface for her next book, and she went on to receive many prestigious archaeological medals later in life.