Royal cities of the ancient Maya

Despite a treasure trove of works devoted to the archaeology, architecture, visual arts, epigraphy, and dynastic histories of the ancient Maya, their ruined cities and fallen monuments continue to amaze and inspire awe. From the 3rd century BCE through the 15th century CE, the Maya reared lofty limestone monuments skyward in unprecedented numbers. By the end of the ninth century, the classic urban centers of lowland Mesoamerica were eclipsed by the bellicose warring polities of the Postclassic era. The abandoned cities and countless ruined monuments left in the wake of the Maya collapse are thereby the stuff of legend. Archaeologist Coe (emer., Yale) and photographer Brukoff present a masterpiece of nuanced archaeological and aesthetic observations born of a lifetime of study on the part of Coe, and a masterful visual lore spun from the eye and camera of Brukoff. Coe's majestic narrative both completes and is enhanced by the awesome imagery that required Brukoff's studied consideration of a subject matter whose environmental context and complexity pose a formidable challenge to even the most accomplished of artists and photographers. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. R. G. Mendoza California State University, Monterey Bay

The history of Mayan civilization as seen through the development and decline of its many impressive city-states is effectively presented here through brilliantly crafted text by Coe (anthropology, emeritus, Yale Univ.) and stunning photographs by Brukoff (Temples of Cambodia). There are fascinating glimpses, through dated stone monuments, into the hereditary lines of dynastic kings who ruled Mayan city-states and frequently did battle with each other. Coe and Brukoff briefly cover Mayan origins then seamlessly trace a succession of cities from the Late Preclassic Period (400 B.C.E.-250 C.E.), e.g., San Bartolo and El Mirador in present-day northern Guatemala, through Classic Period (250-925 C.E.) sites such as Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, Copan, and Uxmal, sites from the Early Postclassic Period (925-1200 C.E.), which saw the invasion of the Toltecs from central Mexico and the flourishing the Toltec-influenced Mayan city of Chichen Itza. Finally, the Late Postclassic Period (after 1200 C.E.) is represented by the small coastal city of Tulum, which may still have been occupied when the Spanish arrived in Mexico in the early 1500s. -VERDICT The complex political and cultural dynamics of the entire span of Mayan history vividly come to life through this beautiful book. An outstanding and luminous work that will be enjoyed by anyone pursuing a greater understanding of Mayan history and culture.-Elizabeth Salt, Otterbein Univ. Lib., Westerville, OH (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.