Want a NOOK? Explore Now
"James O'Kon's book addresses a neglected field, and his wide-ranging discussion sheds new light on many aspects of Maya studies. His training as an engineer keeps the book focused on reality. His writing is full of sudden insights…when he gets to the nitty-gritty of real science, this book shines. The final chapter addresses the engineering flaws that led to their fall…they pushed their environment too far."
--Mark Van Stone, Ph.D., author of 2012: Science and Prophecy of the Ancient Maya
"Great introduction to the unrecognized technological achievements of the Maya. This was my first introduction to Maya tool making. I found those chapters very interesting. Very informative well written and provided me with new material on Maya technology.".
--Thomas L. Sever, Ph.D., NASA Archaeologist
The Maya have been an enigma since their discovery in the mid- 19th century. Maya science developed an elegant mathematic system, an incredibly accurate astronomy, and one of the world's five original written languages. This technology was more advanced than similar European technology by more than a thousand years.
In this book, you'll see how James O'Kon, a professional engineer, synergistically applied field exploration, research, forensic engineering, and 3-D virtual reconstruction of Maya projects to discover lost Maya technological achievements. These lost principles of technology enabled Maya engineers to construct grand cities that towered above the rainforest, water systems with underground reservoirs for water storage, miles of all-weather paved roads tracking through the jungle, and the longest bridge in the ancient world.
Maya engineers developed structural mechanics for multi-story buildings that were not exceeded in height until the first "skyscraper" built in Chicago in 1885, invented the blast furnace 2,000 years before it was patented in England, and developed the vulcanization of rubber more than 2,600 years before Charles Goodyear. Discover a host of unknown wonders in The Lost Secrets of Maya Technology.
Preface 9
1 The Maya 13
2 The Mystery of the Codices 33
3 Creating a Scientific Civilization in Tropical Isolation 63
4 What Are Stone Age People Doing With the Number Zero? 79
5 Building a Civilization 89
6 Maya Cement: Holding the Civilization Together 111
7 Towers in the Forest 131
8 Survival in the Seasonal Desert 175
9 The Maya Interstate Highway System 205
10 Bridging the Gaps in the Forest 231
11 Maya on the Move 271
12 The Collapse of Maya Civilization 293
Epilogue 301
Bibliography 305
Index 313
About the Author 317
Anonymous
Posted November 23, 2012
Some sections seem to be reiterated several different ways as if to fill the space.
Lots of diagrams by author suggesting but not proving Mayan advanced technology.
It reads like a book written by an engineer.
Nice photos of Mayan architecture.
Anonymous
Posted February 5, 2013
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
"The Lost Secrets of Maya Technology reveals what a scientifically advanced people the Maya really were. Relying on his background as a professional engineer, James O'Kon is able to analyze Maya architecture and write about it with the scientific terminology it truly merits. The book places Maya engineers shoulder to shoulder with the Romans or any other ancient culture one could compare them against. As an archaeologist with 20+ years of field experience, this book opened my eyes to Maya scientific achievements...