Between 200 and 300 A.D. is when we become literate in Maya writing. It's definitely writing, though, no question about that. Some of these signs are consistent with Maya writing for the next 1,000 years.

It has opened a window into the very origins of Maya civilization.

The way the Maya built pyramids is by building one layer on top of another. We have [the building where the writing was found] sandwiched between two other buildings. We can get a date from the building itself, but also a range from the other two.

The mural shows that early Maya painting had achieved a high level of sophistication and grace well before the great works of the Classic Maya in the seventh century.

In that way it really is like you didn't know the Renaissance ever happened?you have no knowledge that anyone ever painted anything in Florence in the 16th century, then all of sudden you see a Michelangelo.

I definitely have come out of my shell a lot more. When you question who you are, you can't be proud of who you are. Now that I'm trying to peel off those layers and really understand who I am, I don't have anything to be shy about.