THE FOUR HEAVENS

     Dr. David Stuart is one of the world’s foremost scholars of ancient Maya civilization — a historian, archaeologist, epigrapher and scholar of Maya writing and visual culture. David’s interest in Maya civilization began in childhood; the child of National Geographic archaeologists, he gave his first scholarly paper on Maya hieroglyphs at age twelve and, by eighteen, was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, making him the youngest recipient in the award’s history.

     David has helped transform our understanding of the ancient Maya through his groundbreaking work in deciphering Maya hieroglyphic writing, interpreting Mesoamerican art and iconography, and conducting field research at major archaeological sites across Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. His research is noted for its integration of history, linguistics, archaeology and art history among other areas of scholarship.

     He is the author and co-author of several influential books, including Palenque: Eternal City of the Maya, The Order of Days: Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancient Maya, and Spearthrower Owl: A Teotihuacan Ruler in Maya History. His scholarship has also been featured in award-winning films such as Breaking the Maya Code (PBS/NightFire Films). He holds the Linda and David Schele Professorship in Mesoamerican Art and Writing at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also directs the Mesoamerica Center, fostering interdisciplinary research on ancient American art, archaeology, and culture.