Author Description

"A clear and intelligent description of the development and organization of Maya civilization". -- Natural HistoryThe Maya has long been established as the best and most readable introduction to the New World's greatest ancient civilization. In these pages Michael D. Coe distills a lifetime'sscholarship for the general reader and student.Now, for the sixth edition, Professor Coe incorporates the latest ideas and research in a fast-changing field. Spectacular tomb discoveries at the city of Copan reveal some of the early artistic and architectural splendors at this major site. New finds here and elsewhere entail a complete reinterpretation of the relationship between the warrior-kings of the Classic Maya lowlands and Teotihuacan, the greatest city of pre-Conquest America. Continuing epigraphic breakthroughs -- decipherments of Maya inscriptions -- demonstrate vividly the shifting power blocs among the competing Maya city states.A special feature of this revised edition is a new guide to reading Maya hieroglyphic writing, for students, visitors to the Maya area, and scholars alike.