Susan Evans's authoritative new book provides overviews of the best-known regional cultures, such as those of the Olmecs, Maya, Zapotecs, and Aztecs, as well as balanced coverage of Mesoamerica as a whole, encompassing within the larger story the development of regions such as West Mexico, Guerrero, the Gulf lowlands, and the northern and southern frontiers of Mesoamerica.
The differing cultures are examined within a chronological framework, with reference to the latest archaeological evidence and current research. The book also traces the development, apogee, and decline of numerous sites—from La Venta and Monte Alban to Teotihuacan, Palenque, and Tenochtitlan. Major cultural themes, such as the ball game, maize cultivation, and the development of the calendar, are analyzed in thirty-three special features. Fluently written and lavishly illustrated with photographs, drawings, and newly commissioned maps, this compelling and detailed book is an invaluable guide for travelers, students, scholars, and anyone interested in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. 460 illustrations, 70 in color.