Best Mayan History Books
Here you will get Best Mayan History Books For you.This is an up-to-date list of recommended books.
1. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed: Revised Edition
Author: by Jared Diamond
B004H0M8EA
Penguin Books
January 4, 2011
In Jared Diamond’s follow-up to the Pulitzer-Prize winning Guns, Germs and Steel, the author explores how climate change, the population explosion and political discord create the conditions for the collapse of civilization. Diamond is also the author of Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in CrisisEnvironmental damage, climate change, globalization, rapid population growth, and unwise political choices were all factors in the demise of societies around the world, but some found solutions and persisted.
As in Guns, Germs, and Steel, Diamond traces the fundamental pattern of catastrophe, and weaves an all-encompassing global thesis through a series of fascinating historical-cultural narratives. Collapse moves from the Polynesian cultures on Easter Island to the flourishing American civilizations of the Anasazi and the Maya and finally to the doomed Viking colony on Greenland.
Similar problems face us today and have already brought disaster to Rwanda and Haiti, even as China and Australia are trying to cope in innovative ways. Despite our own society’s apparently inexhaustible wealth and unrivaled political power, ominous warning signs have begun to emerge even in ecologically robust areas like Montana.
2. They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America (Journal of African Civilizations)
Author: by Ivan Van Sertima
English
336 pages
0812968174
A landmark …Brilliantly [demonstrates] has that there is far more to black history than the slave trade.John A. Williams They Came Before Columbus reveals a compelling, dramatic, and superbly detailed documentation of the presence and legacy of Africans in ancient America.
Examining navigation and shipbuilding; cultural analogies between Native Americans and Africans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles between the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Van Sertima builds a pyramid of evidence to support his claim of an African presence in the New World centuries before Columbus.
Combining impressive scholarship with a novelist’s gift for storytelling, Van Sertima re-creates some of the most powerful scenes of human history: the launching of the great ships of Mali in 1310 (two hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 1311, and many others.
In They Came Before Columbus, we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming impact on the civilizations they encountered.
3. Fingerprints of the Gods
Author: by Graham Hancock
Crown
English
592 pages
Could the story of mankind be far older than we have previously believed? Using tools as varied as archaeo-astronomy, geology, and computer analysis of ancient myths, Graham Hancock presents a compelling case to suggest that it is. A fancy piece of historical sleuthing …
Intriguing and entertaining and sturdy enough to give a long pause for thought. Kirkus Reviews In Fingerprints of the Gods, Hancock embarks on a worldwide quest to put together all the pieces of the vast and fascinating jigsaw of mankind’s hidden past.
In ancient monuments as far apart as Egypt’s Great Sphinx, the strange Andean ruins of Tihuanaco, and Mexico’s awe-inspiring Temples of the Sun and Moon, he reveals not only the clear fingerprints of an as-yet-unidentified civilization of remote antiquity, but also startling evidence of its vast sophistication, technological advancement, and evolved scientific knowledge.
A record-breaking number one bestseller in Britain, Fingerprints of the Gods contains the makings of an intellectual revolution, a dramatic and irreversible change in the way that we understand our pastand so our future. And Fingerprints of God tells us something more.
4. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya
Author: by Mary Ellen Miller
English
216 pages
0500279284
The myths and beliefs of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica have baffled and fascinated outsiders ever since the Spanish Conquest. Yet, until now, no single-volume introduction has existed to act as a guide to this labyrinthine symbolic world. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya is the first-ever English-language dictionary of Mesoamerican mythology and religion.
Nearly 300 entries, from accession to yoke, describe the main gods and symbols of the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya, Teotihuacanos, Mixtecs, Toltecs, and Aztecs. Topics range from jaguar and jester gods to reptile eye and rubber, from creation accounts and sacred places to ritual practices such as bloodletting, confession, dance, and pilgrimage.
In addition, two introductory essays provide succinct accounts of Mesoamerican history and religion, while a substantial bibliographical survey directs the reader to original sources and recent discussions. Dictionary entries are illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned line drawings. Mary Miller and Karl Taube draw on their research in the fast-changing field of Maya studies, and on the latest Mexican discoveries, to produce an authoritative work that will serve as a standard reference for students, scholars, and travelers.
5. Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States
Author: by James C. Scott
Yale University Press
English
336 pages
An Economist Best History Book 2017 History as it should be written. Barry Cunliffe, Guardian Scott hits the nail squarely on the head by exposing the staggering price our ancestors paid for civilization and political order. Walter Scheidel, Financial Times Why did humans abandon hunting and gathering for sedentary communities dependent on livestock and cereal grains, and governed by precursors of today’s states?
Most people believe that plant and animal domestication allowed humans, finally, to settle down and form agricultural villages, towns, and states, which made possible civilization, law, public order, and a presumably secure way of living. But archaeological and historical evidence challenges this narrative.
The first agrarian states, says James C. Scott, were born of accumulations of domestications: first fire, then plants, livestock, subjects of the state, captives, and finally women in the patriarchal familyall of which can be viewed as a way of gaining control over reproduction.
6. Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition of The Mayan Book of The Dawn of Life and The Glories of Gods and Kings
Author: by Dennis Tedlock
Touchstone
English
384 pages
Popol Vuh, the Quich Mayan book of creation, is not only the most important text in the native languages of the Americas, it is also an extraordinary document of the human imagination. It begins with the deeds of Mayan gods in the darkness of a primeval sea and ends with the radiant splendor of the Mayan lords who founded the Quich kingdom in the Guatemalan highlands.
Originally written in Mayan hieroglyphs, it was transcribed into the Roman alphabet in the sixteenth century. This new edition of Dennis Tedlock’s unabridged, widely praised translation includes new notes and commentary, newly translated passages, newly deciphered hieroglyphs, and over forty new illustrations.
7. The Maya (Ancient Peoples and Places)
Author: by Michael D. Coe
0500291888
Thames & Hudson
English
“The gold standard of introductory books on the ancient Maya.” ExpeditionThe Maya has long been established as the best, most readable introduction to the New World’s greatest ancient civilization. Coe and Houston update this classic by distilling the latest scholarship for the general reader and student.
This new edition incorporates the most recent archaeological and epigraphic research, which continues to proceed at a fast pace. Among the finest new discoveries are spectacular stucco sculptures at El Zotz and Holmul, which reveal surprising aspects of Maya royalty and the founding of dynasties.
Dramatic refinements in our understanding of the pace of developments of the Maya civilization have led scholars to perceive a pattern of rapid bursts of building and political formation. Other finds include the discovery of the earliest known occupant of the region, the Hoyo Negro girl, recovered from an underwater cavern in the Yucatan peninsula, along with new evidence for the first architecture at Ceibal.
8. Mesoamerican Mythology: A Captivating Guide to Maya Mythology, Aztec Mythology, Inca Mythology, and Central American Myths
Author: by Matt Clayton
English
324 pages
1094609978
If you’re looking for a captivating collection of Inca Myths, then keep reading… This book includes four captivating manuscripts:Maya Mythology: Captivating Maya Myths of Gods, Goddesses and Legendary CreaturesAztec Mythology: Captivating Aztec Myths of Gods, Goddesses, and Legendary CreaturesInca Mythology: Captivating Inca Myths of Gods, Goddesses, and Legendary CreaturesCentral American Mythology: Captivating Myths of Gods, Goddesses, and Legendary Creatures of Ancient Mexico and Central AmericaIn the first part of this book, you’ll find the following Maya myths and topics coveredTwo Creation MythsThe Downfall of Seven MacawThe Boyhood Deeds of Hunahpu and XbalanqueBallgames in XibalbaThe Deaths and Resurrections of Hunahpu and XbalanqueThe Man Who Became a BuzzardHow the Sun and Moon Became Man and WifeRabbit Gets His DrinkAnd many more!
In the second part of this book, you’ll find the following Aztec myths and topics coveredThe Legend of the SunsThe Deeds of MixcoatlThe Origin of Maize and the Creation of PulqueThe Fall of XochiquetzalThe Fate of SoulsHuitzilopochtli and the Founding of TenochtitlanHuemac Plays the Ball GameAnd many more!
9. Jungle of Stone: The Extraordinary Journey of John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, and the Discovery of the Lost Civilization of the Maya
Author: by William Carlsen
William Morrow Paperbacks
English
544 pages
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe “masterful chronicle” of the discovery of the legendary lost civilization of the Maya and the quest to unlock their secrets. Featuring a history and description of the major Maya sites, including Chichen Itza, Tulum, Palenque, Uxmal, Copan, and more.
Illustrated with a map and more than 100 images. In 1839, rumors of extraordinary yet baffling stone ruins buried within the unmapped jungles of Central America reached two of the world’s most intrepid travelers. Seized by the reports, American diplomat John Lloyd Stephens and British artist Frederick Catherwoodboth already celebrated for their adventures in Egypt, the Holy Land, Greece, and Romesailed together out of New York Harbor on an expedition into the forbidding rainforests of present-day Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico.
What they found would upend the West’s understanding of human history. In the tradition of Lost City of Z and In the Kingdom of Ice, former San Francisco Chronicle journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist William Carlsen reveals the remarkable story of the discovery of the ancient Maya.
10. History of Mexico: A Captivating Guide to Mexican History, Starting from the Rise of Tenochtitlan through Maximilian's Empire to the Mexican … Indigenous Uprising (Captivating History)
Author: by Captivating History
English
104 pages
1647486858
If you want to discover the captivating history of Mexico, then keep reading… Before the modern country was born in 1821, the territory that today comprises 32 states and few small islands was inhabited by ancient dynasties and kingdoms of warriors, astronomers, priests, temples for human sacrifice, and, surprisingly, some of the largest cities in the world.
It is estimated that the sacred city of Chichen Itza, in the Yucatan Peninsula, was larger than Paris at its height of splendor. This fascinating journey through Mexico’s history, from its amazing pre-Hispanic past to the end of the 20th century, will reveal more surprises than the reader can imagine.
In the words of the self-proclaimed Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, Mexico has magic. I looked for that magic, and I found it there. In History of Mexico: A Captivating Guide to Mexican History, Starting from the Rise of Tenochtitlan through Maximilian’s Empire to the Mexican Revolution and the Zapatista Indigenous Uprising, you will discover topics such asThe Era of EmpiresThe Spanish-Aztec War and New SpainThe Birth of a Nation From the Halls of MontezumaThe Big DivisionThe Most Beautiful Empire in the WorldIn the Times of Don PorfirioThe Mexican RevolutionThe CristerosThe Second World War and the Mexican MiracleEnd of Century PangsAnd much, much more!
11. American Studies
Author: by Louis Menand
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
English
324 pages
At each step of this journey through American cultural history, Louis Menand has an original point to make: he explains the real significance of William James’s nervous breakdown, and of the anti-Semitism in T.S.Eliot’s writing. He reveals the reasons for the remarkable commercial successes of William Shawn’s New Yorker and William Paley’s CBS.
He uncovers the connection between Larry Flynt’s Hustler and Jerry Falwell’s evangelism, between the atom bomb and the Scholastic Aptitude Test. He locates the importance of Richard Wright, Norman Mailer, Pauline Kael, Christopher Lasch, and Rolling Stone magazine. And he lends an ear to Al Gore in the White House as the Starr Report is finally presented to the public.
Like his critically acclaimed bestseller, The Metaphysical Club, American Studies is intellectual and cultural history at its best: game and detached, with a strong curiosity about the political underpinnings of ideas and about the reasons successful ideas insinuate themselves into the culture at large.
12. James Baldwin. Steve Schapiro. The Fire Next Time
Author: by James Baldwin
TASCHEN
English
276 pages
Schapiro and Baldwin showed the possibility of what strong writing and photography could achieve in their time. In ours, we’d do well to look to them. The Guardian, London First published in 1963, James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time stabbed at the heart of America’s so-called Negro problem.
As remarkable for its masterful prose as for its frank and personal account of the black experience in the United States, it is considered one of the most passionate and influential explorations of 1960s race relations, weaving thematic threads of love, faith, and family into a candid assault on the hypocrisy of the land of the free.
Now, James Baldwin’s rich, raw, and ever relevant prose is reprinted with more than 100 photographs from Steve Schapiro, who traveled the American South with Baldwin for Life magazine. The encounter thrust Schapiro into the thick of the movement, allowing for vital, often iconic, images both of civil rights leadersincluding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Fred Shuttlesworth, and Jerome Smithand such landmark events as the March on Washington and the Selma March.
13. Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed
Author: by Edwin Barnhart
23 hours and 15 minutes
Edwin Barnhart
March 06, 2015
Centuries ago, Spanish conquistadors searching for gold and new lands encountered a group of independent city-states in Mesoamerica. Sophisticated beyond the Spaniards’ wildest imaginings, these people were the Aztecs, the Maya, and related cultures that shared common traditions of religion, government, the arts, engineering, and trade.
In many ways more advanced than European nations, these societies equaled the world’s greatest civilizations of their time. Immerse yourself in this epic story with 48 exhilarating half-hour lectures that cover the scope of Mesoamerican history and culture. You’ll focus mainly on the Maya, who have been in Mesoamerica for thousands of years, and the Aztecs, who mysteriously appeared late and rose swiftly to power.
The Aztecs fell from power just as precipitously; their empire controlled the region for less than a century, until the arrival of the Spanish in the early 1500s. Why were the Aztecs so quickly defeated by the conquistadors, while the Maya resisted the invaders for generations?
14. Serpent of Light: Beyond 2012 – The Movement of the Earth's Kundalini and the Rise of the Female Light, 1949 to 2013
Author: by Drunvalo Melchizedek
English
320 pages
1578634016
Every 13,000 years on Earth a sacred and secret event takes place that changes everything. Mother Earth’s Kundalini energy emerges from its resting place in the planet’s core and moves like a snake across the surface of our world. Once at home in ancient Lemuria, it moved to Atlantis, then to the Himalayan mountains of India and Tibet, and with every relocation changed our idea of what spiritual means.And gender.And heart.
This time, with much difficulty, the “Serpent of Light” has moved to the Andes Mountains of Chile and Peru. Multidimensional, multidisciplined and multilived, for the first time in this book, Drunvalo begins to tell his stories of 35 years spent in service to Mother Earth.
Follow him around the world as he follows the guidance of Ascended Masters, his two spheres of light, and his own inner growing knowledge. His story is a living string of ceremonies to help heal hearts, align energies, right ancient imbalances, and balance the living Earth’s Unity Consciousness Gridin short to increase our awareness of the indivisibility of life in the universe.
15. Aztec and Maya: An Illustrated History: The Definitive Chronicle of the Ancient Peoples of Central America and Mexico – Including The Aztec, Maya, Olmec, Mixtec, Toltec And Zapotec
Author: by Charles Phillips
Lorenz Books
English
512 pages
This wide-ranging reference book covers almost 3000 years of history, offering enthralling insights into the art and architecture, myths and legends, and everyday life of the many different empires of Central America and Mexico. Stories of sun-gods and blood sacrifice, of pyramids and temples, and of the fabulous treasuries filled with gold have fascinated many generations and are explored in detail, in this sumptuous new large-format edition.
The World Heritage sites of historic Mexico City and Tenochtitln, Teotihuacn, Chichn Itz, Tikal and Monte Albn, are examined giving life to the civic, military and everyday world of the time. This unrivaled volume is not only a perfect introduction to the history of these lost civilizations, but also a stunning visual record of a unique period that has helped to shape our world.
16. Mexican History: A Captivating Guide to the History of Mexico and the Mexican Revolution
Author: by Captivating History
English
208 pages
1647488044
If you want to discover the captivating history of Mexico, then keep reading… Two captivating manuscripts in one book:History of Mexico: A Captivating Guide to Mexican History, Starting from the Rise of Tenochtitlan through Maximilian’s Empire to the Mexican Revolution and the Zapatista Indigenous UprisingThe Mexican Revolution: A Captivating Guide to the Mexican Civil War and How Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata Impacted MexicoBefore the modern country was born in 1821, the territory that today comprises 32 states and few small islands was inhabited by ancient dynasties and kingdoms of warriors, astronomers, priests, temples for human sacrifice, and, surprisingly, some of the largest cities in the world.
It is estimated that the sacred city of Chichen Itza, in the Yucatan Peninsula, was larger than Paris at its height of splendor. This fascinating journey through Mexico’s history, from its amazing pre-Hispanic past to the end of the 20th century, will reveal more surprises than the reader can imagine.
