Ancient Maya Civilization

Maya archaeology has undergone a revolution in the past few years: a century of exploration, excavation, and study of temples and monuments has now been amplified by a wealth of new data on the economy, settlements, and social organization of ancient Maya civilization. Norman Hammond presents a synthesis of current knowledge for the lay reader as well as the student of native American cultures. He describes the discovery of the ancient Maya centers deep in the forests of Central America, outlines the rise and fall of Classic Maya civilization, and examines aspects of Maya culture ranging from the recent discoveries of intensive agriculture in swamps to the architecture, art, religion and thought of this unique tropical forest society.