Cities of Ancient Mexico - Hardcover

Sabloff, Jeremy A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0500050538 ISBN 13: 9780500050538

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1989

Synopsis

In this new, revised edition of Jeremy Sabloff's study, he looks at some of the richest cultures of the early historic world - Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Toltec, and Aztec. Professor Sabloff describes everyday life during the heyday of Mexico's greatest cities in a series of vignettes; through the eyes of astronomers and ballplayers, merchants and priests, we see the temples, palaces and tombs of a civilization obsessed with ritual and death. Who built these cities and how do we know? Sabloff seeks to explain why archaeologists believe in the indigenous origins of the Mexican civilization. This updated edition includes archaeological research on the ancient cities of Mexico; incorporates breakthroughs in the decipherment of the Maya script; and draws on readings of Aztec ethno-historical sources. Throughout, the author reveals the ideas and techniques revolutionizing archaeological fieldwork and aims to show how the evidence is being used to reconstruct a fuller picture of life in these ancient cities.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Ancient Mexico was one of the great independent hearths of civilization. Out of a varied landscape grew some of the richest cultures of the early historic world - Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Toltec, and Aztec. Standard histories tend to focus on the individual societies, but Jeremy Sabloff's popular study takes an original approach, emphasizing the unity of Mexican civilization. In a series of fascinating vignettes, Professor Sabloff describes what it would have been like to have lived during the heyday of Mexico's greatest cities. Through the eyes of astronomers and ballplayers, merchants and priests, we see the temples, palaces, and tombs of a civilization obsessed with ritual and death. But who built these cities and how do we know? Sabloff explains convincingly just why archaeologists believe in the indigenous origins of Mexican civilization. This updated edition includes the latest archaeological research on the ancient cities of Mexico: incorporates breakthroughs in the decipherment of the Maya script; and draws on fresh readings of Aztec ethnohistorical sources. Throughout the author reveals the new ideas and techniques revolutionizing archaeological fieldwork and shows how the latest evidence is being used to reconstruct a fuller picture of life in these ancient cities.

About this edition

• Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0500050538
• ISBN 13: 9780500050538
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224