title: Oldest writing in the New World.
abstract: A block with a hitherto unknown system of writing has been found in the Olmec heartland of Veracruz, Mexico. Stylistic and other dating of the block places it in the early first millennium before the common era, the oldest writing in the New World, with features that firmly assign this pivotal development to the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica.
authors.affiliation: Centro del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Benito Juárez Número 425-431, Veracruz, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ma del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Martínez
authors.forename: Ponciano
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ortíz Ceballos
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Coe
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Houston
authors.forename: Karl A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Taube
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delgado Calderón
mesh_terms: D001106:Archaeology; D002962:Civilization / Q000266:history*; D003469:Culture; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D014956:Writing / Q000266:history*