The First Maya Civilization


Book Description

When the Maya kings of Tikal dedicated their first carved monuments in the third century A.D., inaugurating the Classic period of Maya history that lasted for six centuries and saw the rise of such famous cities as Palenque, Copan and Yaxchilan, Maya civilization was already nearly a millennium old. Its first cities, such as Nakbe and El Mirador, had some of the largest temples ever raised in Prehispanic America, while others such as Cival showed even earlier evidence of complex rituals. The reality of this Preclassic Maya civilization has been documented by scholars over the past three decades: what had been seen as an age of simple village farming, belatedly responding to the stimulus of more advanced peoples in highland Mesoamerica, is now know to have been the period when the Maya made themselves into one of the New World's most innovative societies. This book discusses the most recent advances in our knowledge of the Preclassic Maya and the emergence of their rainforest civilization, with new data on settlement, political organization, architecture, iconography and epigraphy supporting a contemporary theoretical perspective that challenges prior assumptions.




The Popol Vuh


Book Description




Ancient Maya


Book Description

Ancient Maya comes to life in this new holistic and theoretical study.




Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya


Book Description

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.




The New Archaeology and the Ancient Maya


Book Description

Nowadays, archaeological investigators don't just dig up the past They use high-tech equipment, chemical analyses, sampling strategies, and other modern means to gain a better understanding of why and how cultures change. Using the study of the Maya as a test case, Jeremy Sabloff shows how the exciting transformation of archaeology is shedding new light on past civilizations.




Popol Vuh


Book Description

One of the most extraordinary works of the human imagination and the most important text in the native languages of the Americas, Popul Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life was first made accessible to the public 10 years ago. This new edition retains the quality of the original translation, has been enriched, and includes 20 new illustrations, maps, drawings, and photos.







Your Travel Guide to the Ancient Mayan Civilization


Book Description

Takes readers on a journey back in time in order to experience life during the Maya civilization, describing clothing, accommodations, foods, local customs, transportation, a few notable personalities, and more.




Maya Civilization


Book Description

Discover the remarkable history of the Maya Civilization...For more than one thousand years, the Maya people dominated areas of Central America and modern-day Mexico and made important advances in architecture, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. Then, after the Spanish occupation in the sixteenth century, Maya culture and thinking were deliberately suppressed. Only in the twentieth century did scientists appreciate just how advanced these people had been and how important they were in the history of Mesoamerica. The excavation and investigation of several large Maya cities in the second half of the twentieth century completely changed how we view these people. We now know that the Maya were capable of building vary large stone structures that were precisely aligned with astronomical features, though we do not know how this was done. We are still learning about Maya cities-as recently as 2018, the use of new technology uncovered more than 60,000 previously undiscovered Maya ruins in the jungles of Guatemala. Many scholars now believe that the Maya were one of the most important of all the ancient Mesoamerican cultures. There are still many mysteries about the Maya. At one point in their history, several major Maya cities were abandoned and left to the encroaching jungle while their people relocated to more inhospitable areas in the Yucatán. There are many theories, but no one is entirely certain why this happened. We also don't know why the Maya made important advances in the fields of mathematics and medicine and yet failed to develop, for example, the wheel or metalworking.What we do know is that these people created a sophisticated culture which they recorded via one of the first complex writing systems. Unlike other contemporary Mesoamerican peoples, the Maya survived the Spanish occupation, and Maya language, religion, and culture continue to survive today in parts of Central America and Mexico. This is the story of the mysterious and frequently misunderstood Maya civilization. Discover a plethora of topics such as Origins Maya Religion and Medicine The Classic Period Weapons and Warfare The Spanish Conquest Maya Writing And much more! So if you want a concise and informative book on the Maya Civilization, simply scroll up and click the "Buy now" button for instant access!




The Maya Civilization


Book Description

Are the Mayans still around? What is the importance of Chichen Itza's discovery? How did this mighty civilization fall? If you want answers to these intriguing questions, then keep reading... The Mayans created an amazing society, full of surprises that keep us guessing how these people came to be and why - exactly - their civilization fell. Theories abound, archeologic discoveries both perplex and inspire us, but one thing remains: their story reads much more like our recent past than you'd ever imagined! This book takes readers on a journey that few have taken, deep into the Mayans' lineage, customs, politics, and daily life. Join us as we delve deep into the Maya story, uncovering stories, facts, and theories about this important - yet perplexing - society: The bitter irony of Catholicism's spread in Maya culture Who was the "mother civilization" of Mesoamerica? Did they really practice human sacrifice? A different kind of calendar... What inspired the rise of city-states in this ancient culture? Did the Maya develop the wheel? How - and what did they use - to make paint Were the Maya peaceful? Inventions galore - but what did they invent that we still use today? Why - and how - did the Spanish decide to conquer the Maya? Did a megadrought kill off the Mayans? Heavens, Earth, and Underground: Not just for Hobbits How did the large cities influence Mayan society - and who ruled them? You'll learn some fun facts - but will also be challenged with archaeologically-puzzling discoveries and learn of one man who escaped death-by-politics. (Exile wasn't good enough for some Mayan leaders; they meant to exterminate those who opposed them!) Grab your copy of this book, and dive into the many astonishing elements of this ancient civilization!