From Booklist
This useful new source for readers interested in the Maya is arranged in 12 readable chapters covering topics such as archaeology, geography, government, cosmology, architecture, astronomy, and daily life. These chapters are subdivided into sections that are usually several pages in length; examples are "Agriculture," "Other Food Production," "Craft Production, " and "Trade" in the chapter "Economy, Industry, and Trade." The subdivisions are in turn divided into smaller sections that each address a specific topic, such as "Soil Conservation and Intensive Cultivation or "Salt Production." An extensive index gives access to all of the topical subdivisions, and there are cross-references within the essays. Each chapter includes a reading list. The volume also includes a chronological chart of Maya history, an extensive bibliography, black-and-white illustrations and photographs, and maps.The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures: The Civilizations of Mexico and Central America (Oxford, 2001) [RBB S 1 01] and Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia (Garland, 2001) [RBB Mr 1 01] each covers a wider scope of geography and cultures and is organized alphabetically instead of thematically. If forced to choose only one reference source on ancient Mesoamerican cultures, Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia provides the best balance of comprehensive coverage and relatively low price ($150). The Handbook would be a useful addition to public and academic library collections that need more extensive coverage of the Maya. RBB
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Book Description
The ancient Mayan civilization of southern Mexico and northern Central America has long been described as "mysterious," even though scholars have been studying this culture for hundreds of years. Our view of the Maya has changed dramatically based on the various findings of these scholars; what were once thought of as "vacant ceremonial centers," inhabited by only a few calendar priests and used as places of ritual by the surrounding peasant farmers, have now been redefined as ancient thriving cities of thousands of Maya. Hierogliphic inscriptions, once thought to be astrological mumbo-jumbo, now read as names of historical individuals and the cities they ruled. The Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World provides a comprehensive and accessible reference to the greatest and most mysterious of civilizations, hailed for its contributions to science, mathematics, and technology. The book focuses on recent groundbreaking discoveries while presenting the civilization's earlist beginnings to its conquest by the Spanish in the 16th Century. Each chapter is supplemented by an extensive bibliography as well as photographs. original line drawings, and maps. Different sections include civilization and archaeology, evolution, geography, society and government, astronomy and the calendar, funerary beliefs and customs, and many more,

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