Palenque
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Mesoamerican
Archaeology: Theory and Practice provides a nuanced introduction to
the archaeology of mesoamica. Offering an alternative to traditional textbooks,
this volume places the reader in the middle of contemporary debates among
top archaeologists actively exploring the major prehispanic societies of
Mexico and Central America. Rather than attempt a single synthesis of current
archaeology from the region, the text focuses on key time periods, sites,
and the issues these times and places require us to confront.
This
book:
- Examines
key moments in the Mesoamerican historical tradition, from the earliest
villages where Olmec art flourished, to the Aztec and Maya City-states
that Spanish invaders described in the 16th century.
- Engages
the chronological benchmarks of precolumbian social development in mesoamica,
such as the transition to village life, emergence of political stratification,
and formation of Mesoamerican urban centers.
- Includes
an extensive introduction by the editors that situates contemporary
Mesoamerican archaeology in the broader terms of the social politics
of archaeology.
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