The Maya - 9780500295144

The Maya has long been established as the best, most readable introduction to the ancient Maya by experts Michael D. Coe and Stephen Houston. In this new edition, this classic has been updated by distilling the latest scholarship for the general reader and student. This edition incorporates the most recent archaeological and epigraphic findings, which continue to proceed at a fast pace, along with full-color illustrations. The new material includes evidence of the earliest human occupants of the Maya region and the beginnings of agriculture and settled life; analysis from lidar on swampy areas, such as Usumacinta, that show enormous rectangle earthworks, including Aguada Fe´nix, dating from 1050 to 750 BCE; and recent advances in decoding Maya writing and imagery. This revised edition also expands information on the roles of women, courtiers, and outsiders; covers novel research about Maya cities, including research into water quality, marketplaces, fortifications, and integrated road systems; and includes coverage of more recent Maya, including their displacement and mistreatment, along with growing affirmations of their cultural identity and legal rights. The Maya highlights the vitality of current scholarship about this brilliant culture.