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.

For more information about the title The Art of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec (World of Art), read the full description at Amazon.com, or see the following related books:

An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya — The myths and beliefs of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica have baffled and fascinated outsiders ever since the Spanish Conquest. ...  > read more

The Ancient Maya, 6th Edition — This book traces the evolution of Maya civilization through the Pre-Columbian era, a span of some 2,500 years from the origins of complex society ...  > read more

Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs (Fifth Edition) — Michael D. Coe's Mexico has long been recognized as the most readable and authoritative introduction to the region's ancient civilizations. This ...  > read more

The Maya, Seventh Edition (Ancient Peoples and Places) — "A clear and intelligent description of the development and organization of Maya civilization." —Natural History The Maya has long been ...  > read more

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Author: Mary Ellen Miller

Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Date: Oct. 16, 2001

List Price:

$16.95

Discount Price:

$6.98

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