The Aztec & Maya world : everyday life, society and culture in ancient Central America and Mexico, with over 500 photographs and fine art images by Phillips, Charles, 1962-, Jones, David M. (David Michael), 1950- instant download

The Aztec & Maya world : everyday life, society and culture in ancient Central America and Mexico, with over 500 photographs and fine art images by Phillips, Charles, 1962-, Jones, David M. (David Michael), 1950- instant download

256 pages : 31 cm, The secrets of the past are uncovered in this authoritative social history of the ancient peoples of Central America and Mexico, including the Aztec, Maya, Olmec, Huastec, Zapotec and Toltec. The book explores the landscape of the Mesoamerican world, from the great volcanic mountains of Popocatépetl and Toluca to the plains of Yucatán and the jungles of El Petén. It traces the growth of cities and trade, and the lives of farmers, hunters, craftsworkers, warriors and priests. Fascinating material on the everyday world covers such popular pursuits as gambling, music, dance and the sacred ballgame. Art and architecture from the World Heritage sites of Mesoamerica are examined in detail, from the colossal stone sculptures of the Toltecs to the jade carvings of the Olmec and the turquoise mosaics of the Aztecs. Illustrated with over 500 color photographs, this volume is a visual record of a fascinating period in history.--From publisher description, Includes index, pt. 1. The Mesoamerican world. Land of danger and reward ; From village to metropolis ; Infinite riches ; The world of work ; Everyday life ; Sacred culture -- pt. 2. Art and architecture. Palaces, temples and sacred centres ; Building the cities ; Potters and weavers ; The carver's art ; Precious work ; Images, symbols and words, Discovering the past -- Wonders in the jungle -- Painstaking excavations -- Translating an ancient writing -- pt. 1. The Mesoamerican world -- Timeline of Mesoamerica -- 1. Land of danger and reward -- Highland and lowland -- Sacred heights -- Life-giving waters -- Towering trees, rocky sands -- Life in the wild -- Fruits of the earth -- Creating a sacred world -- 2. From village to metropolis -- The beginnings of settled life -- Urban ceremonial centres -- The rise of the great cities -- The glory of Teotihuacán -- Power changes hands -- The collapse of social order -- The triumph of the Toltecs -- Land raiders -- The Méxica forge an empire -- 3. Infinite…