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.
