ancient writing, the egyptians used heiroglyphics on the walls of the pyramids.
They discovered Hierolglyphics
Mayans wrote in hieroglyphs for the same reason we write in English or other languages. The Mayans had their own system and symbols that mean different things. And a series of symbols in an order mean a different thing. it wasn't until the Spanish went their a one man sat down with one of the Mayans and got him to translate a few symbols that the rest of the world was able to start to deciphers what they were writing I hope this helps