Mesoamerica's Ancient Cities

by William M. Ferguson, Richard E. W. Adams

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826328014
Publisher:	University of New Mexico Press
Publication date:	12/03/2001
Edition description:	Revised edition
Pages:	274
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

A former rancher, writer, banker, lawyer, and state official, the late William M. Ferguson wrote six books on Southwest U.S. and Mesoamerica ruins.


Richard E. W. Adams received his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University. He has over 37 years of field work experience in the Maya area. He is author and editor of twelve books and author and co-author of ninety-five papers. He is past president of the Society for American Archaeology, resident fellow at the Rockefeller Study Foundation, Bellagio, and overseas fellow at Cambridge University. His most recent field work is in the Maya lowlands of Guatemala and Belize. Adams is a professor at the University of Texas, San Antonio, director of the Rio Azul Archaeological Project and Programme for the Belize Regional Project.

Table of Contents

	Illustrations	vii
	Preface	xi
	Introduction
	Early Man in Mesoamerica	1
	Mesoamerican Civilization	2
	The Spanish Conquest	12
	Methods of Recovering the Past	15
Chapter 1	Central Mexico	19
	Teotihuacan	22
	Tula	32
	Cholula	39
	Xochicalco	41
	Cacaxtla	55
	El Tajin	56
	Chalcatzingo	60
Chapter 2	Valley of Oaxaca	63
	Monte Alban	64
	Mitla	73
	Yagul	78
	Dainzu	82
Chapter 3	Lowland Maya	85
	Tikal	88
	Quirigua	95
	Copan	100
Chapter 4	Belize Maya	109
	Altun Ha	110
	Caracol	110
Chapter 5	Maya Cities of Chiapas	125
	Palenque	126
	Comalcalco	136
	Yaxchilan	142
	Chinkultic	152
	Maya Numbers, Calendars, and the Long Count	154
Chapter 6	Guatemala Highlands	155
Chapter 7	Rio Bec Region	169
	Rio Bec B	169
	Becan	170
	Xpuhil	170
	Chicanna	173
Chapter 8	Puuc Region	179
	Uxmal	180
	Kabah	189
	Sayil, Xlapak, and Labna	193
	Chacmultun	200
	Etzna	204
Chapter 9	The Maya of Northern Yucatan	207
	Dzibilchaltun	208
	Mayapan	215
	Chichen Itza	218
	Coba	218
	Tulum	233
	Regional States and Empires in Ancient Mesoamerica	239
	Glossary	247
	For Further Reading	251
	Index	255

Editorial Reviews

The 51 reconstructed archaeological sites pictured here in 328 aerial and ground photographs (270 in color) include well-known ruins such as Monte Alban, Teotihuacan, and Chichen Itza, and numerous other dramatic, though littlepublicized, sites. The accompanying text, popular yet authoritative, successfully puts the sites in context. This volume is more comprehensive than Ferguson and coauthors Arthur H. Rohn and John Q. Royce's two previous books (Maya Ruins of Mexico in Color, 1984; Maya Ruins in Central America, 1977) and should provide a useful companion to Jeremy Sabloff's Cities of Ancient Mexico (LJ 2/1/89). The photo selections of architecture and site plans give a superb cross-section of each ruin--almost as good as being there. This book has a broad appeal that should attract general and specialist readers alike. See also Linda Schele and David Freidel's A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya, reviewed in this issue, p. 124.--Ed. BOMC and Macmillan Natural Science Book Club selections.-- Wil liam S. Dancey, Ohio State Univ., Columbus

Library Journal

Replete with 85 aerial photos included among several hundred color and b&w photos, maps, and illustrations, this volume portrays the most beautiful and accessible Pre-Columbian ruins of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras--some 51 sites. The text is aimed at the general reader and provides an overview of the history and culture of the area. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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