Product Description
Ages 8 to 14 years.Children will love learning the myths and traditions of the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica including how the ancient Mayas believed that they were formed from the flesh of a god who cut off his fingers. Full colour illustrations show ancient Mesoamerican cities, farming societies, and empires.Topics include:The Inca, Aztec, Olmec, Toltec, and Mayan cultures, among others; The importance of animals such as the jaguar in Mesoamerican cultures; War among the ancient Mesoamericans; Architecture, art, and science of the Mesoamerican cultures; The everyday life and belief systems of the Mesoamericans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Book on Mesoamerica
This is a children's book and there are not very many pages.However, the contents did help me with my research paper.I don't think I would have purchased it had I known there were so few pages and it was for children. I'm going to give it to my niece now that I'm done with it - it is an excellent resource for children. ... Read more

Product Description
A thorough exploration of the nature and processes thatled to civilization can be successfully accomplished by examiningwell-known archaeological areas in depth and within a comparativeframework. This newly revised edition of Ancient Civilizationsembraces this useful approach and remains the only in-depth overviewthat provides detailed discussions of both New World and Old Worldcivilizations within the same book. The material is well presented ina lively yet authoritative manner by two highly regardedanthropologists. All educators and readers concerned with the factualand theoretical issues surrounding ancient civilizations in the NearEast, South and Central Asia, and Mesoamerica will find this to be anindispensable volume. A considerably expanded concluding chapterprovides insights into some of the current debates about thedevelopment of ancient civilizations. ... Read more

Product Description
William Ferguson’s classic photographic portrayal of the major pre-Columbian ruins of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras is now available from UNM Press in a completely revised edition. Magnificent aerial and ground photographs give both armchair and actual visitors unparalleled views of fifty-one ancient cities. The restored areas of each site and their interesting and exotic features are shown within each group of ruins. The authors have thoroughly revised the text for this new edition, and they have added over 30 new photographs and illustrations as well as a completely new chapter by Richard E. W. Adams on regional states and empires in ancient Mesoamerica.

Over a span of three thousand years between 1500 B.C. and A.D. 1500 great civilizations, including the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Toltec, Zapotec, and Aztec, flourished, waned, and died in Mesoamerica. These indigenous cultures of Mexico and Central America are brought to life in Mesoamerica’s Ancient Cities through stunning color photographs. The authors include the most recent research and most widely accepted theoretical perspectives on Mesoamerican civilizations. Ideal for the general reader as well as scholars of Mesoamerica, this volume makes a significant contribution to our knowledge of the Americas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Mesoamerica's Ancient Cities
The information in this book should give cause to rethink America's ancient past. This book has many fine pictures.Great for anybody interested in Ancient Cities of the New World.

OK, but not terrific
Good points:
- Lot's of color photographs showing not just architecture, but art as well.
- Many different sites presented.
- Enough text (about 10-15%), but not too much.

Disappointments:
- Thoroughness is sacrificed in favor of including more sites - I would prefer more pictures of each site.
- Pictures quality is only fair to good.I was very disappointed that colors are washed out (low color saturation) even though the book is printed on heavy matte stock.
- A majority of the pictures are not aerial, though that doesn't detract much for me.
- Only recent photos - would have liked to have seen early photos of sites prior to excavation.
- Some pictures are mislabeled.

Overall, worth checking out of the library or buying used, but probably not worth purchasing new. ... Read more

Product Description
In recent decades, archaeologists have made enormous progress in revealing the prehistory of the rich and varied civilizations of ancient Mesoamerica. This textbook captures the excitement and rich details of these ancient peoples, surveying every aspect of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica from Paleoindian times (c.1800 BC) to the European intrusion in 1519. It provides up-to-date overviews of the best-known regional cultures, such as those of the Olmecs, Maya, Zapotecs and Aztecs, including exciting new discoveries. But it also offers balanced coverage of other areas of Mesoamerica where important discoveries have been made in recent years, encompassing the developmental trajectory of such regions as West Mexico, Guerrero, the Gulf lowlands, and the northern and southern frontiers of Mesoamerica. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great!
Great book, no markings that I've seen. Should have been under super awesome condition. :D

The Complete ancient Mexico reader
With one look at this book its easy to say it was written in a textbook fashion for high school or maybe introductory college, one might assume the depth of the information discussed is only an overview or an introduction. This is deceiving.The second edition of this wonderful book is packed with clear and crisp illustrations, 426 to be exact, and covers central American culture from Mesoamerica to Motecuzoma in detail. At nearly 600 pages this is a behemoth read with tiny side notes and explanations woven into the tightly knit text that fits neatly into 5 separate sections. I would recommend this book for anyone into central American studies and would think it makes a great course textbook for upper college instructors. ... Read more

Product Description
The authors of this volume investigate the meaning of Ancient Mesoamerican space, specifically, how the elements of urban landscape were related to each other, and to other fundamental aspects of Ancient Mesoamericans. Essays in this volume highlight the importance of performance, poetics, and politics in the construction of meaningful space and its deployment in performance.

In Landscape and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica, Rex Koontz, Kathryn Reese-Taylor, and Annabeth Headrick investigate the meaning of Ancient Mesoamerica through analyses of the built environment, performance, and cultural poetics. They explore what Ancient Mesoamerican urban space meant to its inhabitants, and how this meaning was created and disseminated.

From the early cities in the second millennium BC to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan on the eve of the Spanish conquest, Ancient Mesoamericans created landscapes full of meaning and power in the center of their urban spaces. The sixteenth century description of Tenochtitlan by Bernal Diaz del Castillo and the archaeological remnants of Teotihuacan attest to the power and centrality of these urban configurations in Ancient Mesoamerican history. In Landscape and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica, Rex Koontz, Kathryn Reese-Taylor, and Annabeth Headrick explore the cultural logic that structured and generated these centers.

Through case studies of specific urban spaces and their meanings, the authors examine the general principles by which the Ancient Mesoamericans created meaningful urban space. In a profoundly interdisciplinary exchange involving both archaeologists and art historians, this volume connects the symbolism of those landscapes, the performances that activated this symbolism, and the cultural poetics of these ensembles. ... Read more

Product Description
The Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica: A Reader brings together twenty-three of the most influential essays by leading scholars to reveal the rich variety of cultures and societies that existed in ancient Mesoamerica. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Decent review of focal points Mesoamerican studies
This is one of the more recommendable overviews currently on the market regarding the field of Mesoamerican studies. Clearly, a considerable number of leading scholars were invited to contribute to this edited volume. In doing so, the editors avoided falling into the common overview-trap of ending up with a superficial book containing outdated data. One criticism I have is that several of the articles have appeared previously in other edited volumes or academic journals, but this will probably not be as relevant to the interested public looking for a decent introduction.

amazing compilation!
wow, every aspect of life in ancient mesoamerica is dealt with here, with great classic articles.Its good for the student, researcher and teacher, and it even contains editorial comments to bring it up to date.Also, it has one of the most useful and largest bibliographies on the topic.Great value for money as well, this book is a must. ... Read more

Product Description
Were most commoners in ancient Mesoamerica poor? In a material sense, yes, probably so. Were they poor in their beliefs and culture? Certainly not, as Commoner Ritual and Ideology in Ancient Mesoamerica demonstrates.

This volume explores the ritual life of Mesoamerica's common citizens, inside and outside of the domestic sphere, from Formative through Postclassic periods. Building from the premise that ritual and ideological expression inhered at all levels of society in Mesoamerica, the contributors demonstrate that ideology did not emanate solely from exalted individuals and that commoner ritual expression was not limited to household contexts. Taking an empirical approach to this under-studied and under-theorized area, contributors use material evidence to discover how commoner status conditioned the expression of ideas and values.

Revealing complex social hierarchies that varied across time and region, this volume offers theoretical approaches to commoner ideology, religious practice, and sociopolitical organization and builds a framework for future study of the correlation of ritual and ideological expression with social position for Mesoamericanists and archaeologists worldwide. ... Read more

Product Description
In this study of warfare in ancient Mesoamerica, Ross Hassig offers new insight into three thousand years of Mesoamerican history, from roughly 1500 B.C. to the Spanish conquest. He examines the methods, purposes, and values of warfare as practiced by the major pre-Columbian societies and shows how warfare affected the rise of the state. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Worthless!
This book is full of gross misunderstandings and inaccuracies about Mesoamerican Cultures.A single example of the many glaring inaccuracies is the reference to the Chontal of Guerrero as being the same as the MayaChontal.Apparently, when the authors were in doubt about something theyjust made it up.Do not buy or use under any circumstances.

An excellent source of detailed information.
This is a must for anyone who is interested in ancient mesoamericancultures.It is an alphabetical listing of most terms associated with thecultures of the area.It is easy to read and researching is a pleasure.Iwould highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Crystal skulls, imaginative codices, dubious Olmec heads and cute Colima dogs. Fakes and forgeries run rampant in the Mesoamerican art collections of international museums and private individuals. Authors Nancy Kelker and Karen Bruhns examine the phenomenon in this eye-opening volume. They discuss the most commonly forged classes and styles of artifacts, many of which were being duplicated as early as the 19th century. More important, they describe the system whereby these objects get made, purchased, authenticated, and placed in major museums as well as the complicity of forgers, dealers, curators, and collectors in this system. Unique to this volume are biographies of several of the forgers, who describe their craft and how they are able to effectively fool connoisseurs and specialists.An important, accessible introduction to pre-Columbian art fraud for archaeologists, art historians, and museum professionals alike. A parallel volume by the same authors discusses fakes in Andean archaeology. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the most culturally diverse regions of the ancient world, Mesoamerica was also one of the fledgling areas for state formation. The case studies in this volume interpret Mesoamerican civilization through the emergence, resilience, and occasional demise of Mesoamerica's early and developing political economies. An exploration of the unique adaptations and approaches taken by Mesoamerican societies to cope with their evolving landscapes provides insight on how these states were organized and the varying ways in which state affairs were conducted between regions and through time. Although several factors are presented and discussed for the rise and fall of the many complex societies, the book maintains a consistent emphasis on the political economy and its transformative effects over labor, land, and water.

Inspired by the impact of the annual yearbook Research in Economic Anthropology (REA) and its longstanding editor, Barry L. Isaac, the contributors in this volume were assembled to honor Isaac and selected based on their previous association with Isaac and REA as well as their knowledge of particular regions of Mesoamerica.

Contributors
Jorge Angulo, anthropology, INAH, Mexico
Kimberly A. Berry, archaeology, Boston University
Robert D. Drennan, anthropology, University of Pittsburgh
Gary M. Feinman, curator, Mesoamerican Anthropology and Archaeology, The Field Museum, Chicago
Mikael J. Haller, anthropology, University of Pittsburgh
Rhoda Halperin, anthropology, Montclair State University
Patricia A. McAnany, anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Linda M. Nicholas, adjunct curator, Mesoamerican Archaeology, The Field Museum, Chicago
Heather M. Richards, anthropology, University of New Mexico
Robert S. Santley, anthropology, University of New Mexico (deceased)
Barbara L. Stark, anthropology, Arizona State University
Phil C. Weigand, Centro de Estudios Antropol�gicos, Colegio de Michoac�n ... Read more

Product Description
Ancient Mesoamerica drew world interest in the 19th century when photographs, drawings, and descriptions of discoveries of ruined cities in exotic locations in Mexico and Central America were published. These accounts from early explorers, archaeologists, and travelers made the cultures and archaeological sites of ancient Mesoamerica including the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Mixtec, Tarascan, Toltec, Zapotec, and other civilizations a major focus of intensive research, public and private funding, and lay interest. This encyclopedic work covers some of the major discoveries throughout ancient Mesoamerica from the last 100 years. The results of previous and continuing research and explorations, plus recent interpretations of ancient cultures and new work at archaeological sites in Mesoamerica are summarized here. Included in this volume are information and insights on archaeological sites, material culture, social and economic organization, religion and belief systems, and the social history of ancient Mesoamerica. The entries contain geographical, chronological, historical, and interpretive data that serve as a condensed and accessible resource of reference material. Also presented here are select historical personages of ancient times and some brief notes on their lives and accomplishments taken from hieroglyphic texts, painted books or codices, and written documents and oral histories from the colonial period. With a bibliography and chronology, this text will be the perfect starting point for high school or undergraduate research, and a helpful ready-reference for more experienced scholars. ... Read more

Product Description
This essential guide to the art and architecture of ancient Mesoamerica succinctly and evocatively summarizes the artistic achievements of the high pre-Columbian civilizations—Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Tolec, Aztec—as well as those of their less well-known contemporaries. The pyramids and palaces, jades and brightly colored paintings emerge from these pages as vividly as when they first astonished Cortés's men in 1519. There was a surprising unity in Mesoamerican culture from Mexico to Honduras and from 1500 BC to the Spanish Conquest. Among many features shared were a 260-day ritual calendar and a preoccupation with gods representing natural forces. Current research also emphasizes the great importance of rites of kingship, including warfare and blood sacrifice. In this third edition, Mary Miller opens up new windows on the ancient past with fresh readings of works of art, all the while offering careful archaeological interpretations. Recent hieroglyphic decipherments provide insights into ancient art, spelling out long-distance connections between the Maya and their neighbors. Updated throughout, with special attention to evidence for dating, the new Art of Mesoamerica is the ideal companion for students and travelers. 193 illustrations, 44 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

ready for the trashcan
This book is in terrible condition.It does not rate any star or even partial star.

IT REEKS OF TOBACCO!

And there was something sticky spilled all over the back cover which disgusted me to touch. I had to immediately wash it with alcohol hand cleaner to be able to open it.It is dog eared and has large amounts of underlining, some in pen and some in yellow marker.I don't want it in my house!I don't think I can stand having it in my hands to read it.

The invoice included with it is for another book [Torts (Law in a Flash Cards) by Emanuel, Steven L] and for another buyer, Elizabeth Zager in Holly Springs NC.I suppose the person purchasing this item now has my name and address.I don't like this.

Somebody really goofed up here and I AM NOT HAPPY.

This book in NO WAY qualifies as GENTLY USED.It is a mess.

I have been taken.I want my money back.

Sincerely,
Celeste Turcotte

Waste of time
The content of this book is so dry I'm amazed it didn't light up in my hands.Unless you already have an intimate knowledge of the subject this book does little to educate you.It presents few facts, only one "likely" scenario after another.In fact I count 46 "likely" scenarios in the first three chapters alone.I am "likely" to burn this book after the class that requires it is over.If you are taking a class that requires this book, drop it. Unless you are a pretentious art history major that would love to debate the finer points of the late formative style of Maya artistry, stay away from this book.

Successfull challenge
This book has deeply increased my motivation for learning more of the complex precolombian culture, and to visit again the Museo Nacional Antropologica, Mexico. I would recommend to read first David Carrasco " Religions of Mesoamerica ".

This is very Interesting
Excelent book, great author and great information.
Olmecs,Maya and Aztecs are studing by Mary Eller.

Worthwhile but dense
A solid, useful one-volume survey of Mesoamerican art.Miller is a notedexpert in the field, and she does a commendable job of presenting a largeamount of information in a short space without resorting to superficiality. The text is clear and the photographs are both copious and well-chosen,with numerous color plates adding to the enjoyment.

Almost of necessity,however, the writing style tends to be fairly dense.Those looking for areadable "History of Mesoamerica" should probably go elsewhere. Nonetheless, most readers will find this book rewarding -- after which theywill want to turn to more specific and detailed volumes by Linda Schele andMichael Coe, among others. ... Read more

Product Description
Before the Spanish Conquest and well into the eighteenth century, Mesoamerican peoples believed that "time" and "space" were contained in earthly and heavenly receptacles that were visualized metaphorically. This circumscribed space contained the abodes of the dead. There, deities and ancestral spirits could be revived and the living could communicate with them. In Social Memory in Ancient and Colonial Mesoamerica, Amos Megged uncovers the missing links in Mesoamerican peoples' quest for their collective past. Analyzing ancient repositories of knowledge, as well as social and religious practices, he uncovers the unique procedures and formulas by which social memory was communicated and how it operated in Mesoamerica prior to the Spanish conquest. He also explores how cherished and revived practices evolved, how they were adapted to changing circumstances, and how they helped various ethnic groups cope with the tribulations of colonization and Christianization. Megged's volume also suggests how social and cultural historians, ethnohistorians, and anthropologists can rethink indigenous representations of the past while taking into account the deep transformations in Mexican society during the colonial era. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Olmec Art and Archaeology
Olmec Art and Archaeology in Mesoamerica (Studies in the History of Art Series) is a compilation of interesting articles with a solid archaeological base.The book's main drawback is the poor quality of the photographs, mostly fuzzy black and white images that leave the reader frustrated.It would also help if the authors provided outline drawings for eroded monuments.

Beautiful!
A very beautiful and professional presentation. I am an archaeologist and the imaging and text made it a very enjoyable experience.

Great Book, Important Topics!
If you want to read great articles, look at some great photos and illustrations and learn about the current state of our understanding of the civilizations that became what we call the Olmec, then this book is for you.It is simply fascinating stuff for anyone seriously interested in understanding these people. ... Read more

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Product Description
The first book to focus on children in ancient Mesoamerica, this vital reference offers a key methodological guide for archaeologists studying children and their roles not only in Mesoamerica, but also in ancient societies worldwide.

Contributors examine material evidence, historical records, and iconography, productively criticizing the claim that children are invisible in the archaeological record and elucidating an ancient childhood comprising multiple and complex identities. They explore the methodological and theoretical difficulties created when investigating childhood—a category defined by each culture—in the archaeological record.

Sure to appeal widely to New World and Old World archaeologists and anthropologists, The Social Experience of Childhood in Ancient Mesoamerica will open up new avenues of research into the lives of this previously overlooked yet remarkably large population.

Contributors include Traci Ardren, Ximena Chávez Balderas, Billie Follensbee, Byron Hamann, Scott R. Hutson, Rosemary A. Joyce, Stacie M. King, Jeanne Lopiparo, Patricia McAnany, Geoffrey G. McCafferty, Sharisse D. McCafferty, Juan Alberto Román Berrelleza, Rebecca Storey, Rissa M. Trachman, Fred Valdez Jr. ... Read more

Product Description
Mixtecs, Zapotecs, and Chatinos: Ancient Peoples of Southern Mexico examines the origins, history, and interrelationships of the civilizations that arose and flourished in Oaxaca.

• Provides an up-to-date summary of the current state of research findings and archaeological evidence
• Uses contemporary social theory to address many key problems relating to archaeology of the Americas, including the dynamics of social life and the rise and fall of civilizations
• Adds clarity to ongoing debates over cultural change and interregional interactions in ancient Mesoamerican societies
• Supplemented with compelling illustrations, photographs, and line drawings of various archaeological sites and artifacts

Product Description
"An essential guide to the art and architecture of ancient Central America."—Colonial Latin American Historical ReviewMary Ellen Miller evocatively surveys the artistic achievements of the high pre-Columbian civilizations—Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztecas well as those of their less well-known contemporaries. Their pyramids and palaces, jades and brightly colored paintings emerge from these pages as vividly as when they first astonished Cortes's men in 1519.

The fourth edition of this standard work includes exciting new discoveries, from Palenque, Mexico, where architecture and sculpture reveal a dramatic eighth century, to San Bartolo, Guatemala, where Maya paintings have riveted an international audience. Continuing hieroglyphic decipherments provide fresh insights. The revised edition of the Art of Mesoamerica is the ideal companion for art historians, students, and travelers alike. 220 illustrations, 136 in color ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

As Advertised
Item was delivered quicker than stated and was in excellent condition.Quick and painless, will do business again.

The Art of Mesoamerica (World of Art)
I liked to book, it was a lot to read, but informational. It was sent in great care and in good condition. I would order from then. The service was prompt as could be.

An Excellent Survey of Mesoamerican Art and Culture
Note: You're "helpful" votes are appreciated. One Mormon reader likes to automatically give my reviews negative votes because of my negative reviews of books on the Book of Mormon.Oh, well, and Thanks.

Miller's book is a must for anyone interested in the cultures of ancient Mexico and Central America (mesoamerica). It is full of quality photos of the artifacts and ruins. Miller points out many errors.

One picture, for example, shows an Olmec figure holding a child on its lap. "Mexican peasants who found this large greenstone sculpture near las Limas, Veracruze, believed it to be a madonna and child. In fact, it represents a youth holding an Olmec rain deity in his lap."

As for the theories that became popular in the 19th century, Miller dismisses them with the observation that "these claims are made by those unwilling to accept the modern Mesoamerican peasant as the descendant of creators of high culture. Although the question of contact remains unanswered in all its details, by and large it will be assumed here that ideas, inventions, and civilizations arose independently in the New World."

This is another way of pointing out the glaring racism of those who demand an Old World origin of Native American culture.

The claims of the Book of Mormon that there were great Hebrew-Christian civilizations in ancient America are without basis in reality. It is one thing the argue that contact influenced a given culture, but it is an entirely different thing to argue that any civilization in the New World was derived from the Old World.

In thumbing Miller's book, the reader is confronted with the pagan reality of ancient mesoamerica, where the rain gods ruled and human sacrifice was practiced by the Olmecs, the Maya, and the Aztecs. No amount of clever manipulation of the facts by Mormon authors will change this fact.

The Art of Mesmoamerica
A very British take on this history of the Mesoamerican life. It's very detailed with great illustrations and photographs to correlate with the text. Although not impossible a careful reading of the text is necessary to fully understand what is being conveyed.
... Read more