Encyclopedia Of The Ancient Maya

Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya offers an A-to-Z overview of the ancient Maya culture from its inception around 3000 BC to the Spanish Conquest after AD 1600. Over two hundred entries written by more than sixty researchers explore subjects ranging from food, clothing, and shelter to the sophisticated calendar and now-deciphered Maya writing system. They bring special attention to environmental concerns and climate variation; fresh understandings of shifting power dynamics and dynasties; and the revelations from emerging field techniques (such as LiDAR remote sensing) and newly explored sites (such as La Corona, Tamchen, and Yaxnohkah). This one-volume reference is an essential companion for students studying ancient civilizations, as well as a perfect resource for those planning to visit the Maya area. Cross-referencing, topical and alphabetical lists of entries, and a comprehensive index help readers find relevant details. Suggestions for further reading conclude each entry, while sidebars profile historical figures who have shaped Maya research. Maps highlight terrain, archaeological sites, language distribution, and more; over fifty photographs complement the volume.

A highly accessible and authoritative popular history of Mesoamerica and its ancient peoples, fully illustrated with over 500 photographs.

Discover all about the everyday lives of early American peoples by investigating in turn the lost civilizations of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca peoples and the enduring Arctic and Native American Indian cultures of the North.

This reference is devoted to the pre-Columbian archaeology of the Mesoamerican culture area, one of the six cradles of early civilization. It features in-depth articles on the major cultural areas of ancient Mexico and Central America; coverage of important sites, including the world-renowned discoveries as well as many lesser-known locations; articles on day-to-day life of ancient peoples in these regions; and several bandw regional and site maps and photographs. Entries are arranged alphabetically and cover introductory archaeological facts (flora, fauna, human growth and development, nonorganic resources), chronologies of various periods (Paleoindian, Archaic, Formative, Classic and Postclassic, and Colonial), cultural features, Maya, regional summaries, research methods and resources, ethnohistorical methods and sources, and scholars and research history. Edited by archaeologists Evans and Webster, both of whom are associated with Pennsylvania State University. c. Book News Inc.

REFERENCE WORKS. This book offers an examination of the history, myths and legends of the peoples of Mesoamerica spanning almost 3000 years. Stories of sun-gods and blood sacrifice, of pyramids and temples, and of the fabulous treasuries of gold raided by the Spaniards have enthralled generations of readers. Architectural and cultural achievements range from the temple-pyramids and stone carvings of the Olmecs to the cities, trading networks and religious societies and systems of the Aztecs and Maya. This book contains startling revelations about the ancient peoples of Central America, including histories of the lands they conquered, the cities they built and the world they developed.

This definitive reference offers enthralling insights into the art and architecture, myths and legends, and everyday life of the people of Mexico and Central America.