Description
Book SynopsisOffering an alternative to traditional textbooks, Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice places the reader in the middle of contemporary debates by top archaeologists actively exploring the major prehispanic societies of Central America.
Trade Review"This is not the same old culture history but a respectable compilation of recent fieldwork and analysis within a framework of innovative problem-oriented research. Joyce's introductory chapter is a synthetic
tour de force."
Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute "With specially commissioned essays by leading scholars, this is an excellent up-to-date introduction to Mesoamerican archaeology." Oxbow Books
"In this volume archaeologists have, at last, a textbook on Mesoamerica that combines recent data with current social thought. The chapters are beautifully written and provocative, giving deeper insight into Mesoamerican cultural diversity without simplifying 5000 years into a single story. Hendon and Joyce have chosen contributors who are not just specialists, but who are some of the most exciting thinkers of our generation." K. Anne Pyburn, Indiana University
"Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice is an outstanding book. It is exactly what we’ve needed in the field for a very long time and should be used by everyone teaching a course in Mesoamerican archaeology. Hendon and Joyce have done an outstanding job of integrating fresh essays by leading scholars into a text that is both theoretically informed and empirically up to date. The combination of theory and data make it an indispensable work." Michael Love, California State University, Northridge
Table of ContentsSeries Editors' Preface
Preface
Acknowledgments
List of Figures
List of Contributors
1. Mesoamerica: A Working Model
Rosemary A. Joyce, University of California, Berkeley
2. Mesoamerica Goes Public: Early Ceremonial Centers, Leaders, and Communities
John E. Clark, Brigham Young University
3. Shared Art Styles and Long-Distance Contact in Early Mesoamerica
Richard G. Lesure, University of California, Los Angeles
4. Governance and Policy at Classic Teotihuacan
Saburo Sugiyama, Aichi Prefectural University, Japan
5. Social Identity and Daily Life at Classic Teotihuacan
Linda Manzanilla, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
6. Social Diversity and Everyday Life within Classic Maya Settlements
Cynthia Robin, Northwestern University
7. Classic Maya Landscapes and Settlement
Wendy Ashmore, University of California, Riverside
8. Sacred Space and Social Relations in the Classic Valley of Oaxaca
Arthur A. Joyce, University of Colorado
9. The Archaeology of History in Postclassic Oaxaca
John M. D. Pohl, University of California, Los Angeles
10. Meaning by Design: Ceramics, Feasting and Figured Worlds in Postclassic Mexico
Elizabeth M. Brumfiel, Albion College
11. The Rural and Urban Landscapes of the Aztec State: Regional Perspectives and the Basin of Mexico Settlement Pattern Project
Deborah L. Nichols, Dartmouth College
12. Postclassic and Colonial Period Sources on Maya Society and History
Julia A. Hendon, Gettysburg College
Glossary
Index
