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Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed
23 hours 15 mins
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?
Although the Spanish eventually conquered all of Mesoamerica, much remains of the original cultures. Beautiful artifacts fill museums. Impressive ruins dot the landscape. And millions of descendants of ancient Mesoamericans still live in their ancestral homes, speaking native languages and practicing time-honored traditions. The countries from Mexico to Costa Rica include more than a dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites related to the pre-Columbian period, plus scores of other ancient sites that are equally worth a visit. This course is the ideal way to plan an itinerary, prepare for a tour, or simply sit back and enjoy a thrilling virtual voyage. You will be surprised at the number of sites to explore - many more than you could possibly see in months of travel. Your guide is Professor Barnhart, a noted archaeologist whose exploits include the discovery of a lost Maya city.
©2015 The Great Courses (P)2015 The Teaching Company, LLC
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?
Although the Spanish eventually conquered all of Mesoamerica, much remains of the original cultures. Beautiful artifacts fill museums. Impressive ruins dot the landscape. And millions of descendants of ancient Mesoamericans still live in their ancestral homes, speaking native languages and practicing time-honored traditions. The countries from Mexico to Costa Rica include more than a dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites related to the pre-Columbian period, plus scores of other ancient sites that are equally worth a visit. This course is the ideal way to plan an itinerary, prepare for a tour, or simply sit back and enjoy a thrilling virtual voyage. You will be surprised at the number of sites to explore - many more than you could possibly see in months of travel. Your guide is Professor Barnhart, a noted archaeologist whose exploits include the discovery of a lost Maya city.
©2015 The Great Courses (P)2015 The Teaching Company, LLC
24 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 6, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
November 25, 2019
Here is another excellent lecture series by Edwin Barnhart. Just earlier this year I listened to, and greatly enjoyed, his series on the civilizations of North America. Now he is on his home turf, for Barnhart is a specialist in Maya archaeology. Surprisingly, however, I thought that the lecture series got off to something of a rough start. He jumps right into the Olmecs without enough framing or background. But soon enough I got my bearings, and the rest was a delightful trip through Meso-American archaeology.
Although I was somewhat more familiar with the basics of the Mayans and the Aztecs than with the ancient peoples of North Americans, I was still astounded at the depths of my own ignorance. It is frankly incredible that you can go through the American educational system and learn infinitely more about the Babylonians, Egyptians, and the Greeks than about the Mayans and the Aztecs. Granted, much of what we know about these civilizations was discovered fairly recently. The Mayan script was only deciphered in the 1970s; and as Barnhart points out, there is so much left to be discovered, including whole cities. Barnhart himself discovered a city (Maax Na).
The pyramids, pictoral script, and ancient date of these civilizations naturally bring up associations of Egypt. Yet the comparison is somewhat misleading, since the peoples of Meso-America consisted of a patchwork of cultures, sharing obvious similarities but equally important differences, whose fortunes waxed and waned through the centuries. Egypt, by contrast, was a singularly homogenous culture. Mesopotamia is likely a better comparison in this regard. But, of course, the Meso-American cultures have many distinct features.
One of the most important is the elaborate calendar system. Barnhart, an expert on paleo-archaeology, goes into great detail in explaining the Mayan numeral and calendrical systems. What is striking is not only the great complexity of the system, but also the cultural importance of the calendar. It was used by the entire region; and its keepers—who were religious men—communicated with one another even while their own states were at war. The calendar was filled with significance and omens, and was always consulted before important tasks. Barnhart speculates that the cyclical nature of the calendar also explains why cities were periodically abandoned.
Another peculiar feature is the Meso-American ball game, which was played across the region. This ball game was not just a sport, but a kind of living metaphor for Meso-American cosmology. I am not familiar of any other examples from the ancient world of a sport being so culturally central. And, of course, there is the human sacrifice—especially among the Aztecs. It is difficult to hear about these practices nowadays; though I do wonder which area had more religion-inspired killings during this time: Meso-America or Europe?
Barnhart ends the lecture series by narrating the first European contact and the eventual destruction of the Aztec Empire by Hernán Cortés and his men. (There is a new series on Amazon about Cortés, which was made to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlán, which happened in 1521.) It is an exciting and a depressing story, as the work of centuries is burned or buried. But Barnhart ends on a positive note, observing the many ways that these cultures have survived, and expressing hope that the modern descendants of the Maya, the Aztecs, and the many other cultures will take control of their heritage. For my part, now I really want to go to Mexico.
Although I was somewhat more familiar with the basics of the Mayans and the Aztecs than with the ancient peoples of North Americans, I was still astounded at the depths of my own ignorance. It is frankly incredible that you can go through the American educational system and learn infinitely more about the Babylonians, Egyptians, and the Greeks than about the Mayans and the Aztecs. Granted, much of what we know about these civilizations was discovered fairly recently. The Mayan script was only deciphered in the 1970s; and as Barnhart points out, there is so much left to be discovered, including whole cities. Barnhart himself discovered a city (Maax Na).
The pyramids, pictoral script, and ancient date of these civilizations naturally bring up associations of Egypt. Yet the comparison is somewhat misleading, since the peoples of Meso-America consisted of a patchwork of cultures, sharing obvious similarities but equally important differences, whose fortunes waxed and waned through the centuries. Egypt, by contrast, was a singularly homogenous culture. Mesopotamia is likely a better comparison in this regard. But, of course, the Meso-American cultures have many distinct features.
One of the most important is the elaborate calendar system. Barnhart, an expert on paleo-archaeology, goes into great detail in explaining the Mayan numeral and calendrical systems. What is striking is not only the great complexity of the system, but also the cultural importance of the calendar. It was used by the entire region; and its keepers—who were religious men—communicated with one another even while their own states were at war. The calendar was filled with significance and omens, and was always consulted before important tasks. Barnhart speculates that the cyclical nature of the calendar also explains why cities were periodically abandoned.
Another peculiar feature is the Meso-American ball game, which was played across the region. This ball game was not just a sport, but a kind of living metaphor for Meso-American cosmology. I am not familiar of any other examples from the ancient world of a sport being so culturally central. And, of course, there is the human sacrifice—especially among the Aztecs. It is difficult to hear about these practices nowadays; though I do wonder which area had more religion-inspired killings during this time: Meso-America or Europe?
Barnhart ends the lecture series by narrating the first European contact and the eventual destruction of the Aztec Empire by Hernán Cortés and his men. (There is a new series on Amazon about Cortés, which was made to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlán, which happened in 1521.) It is an exciting and a depressing story, as the work of centuries is burned or buried. But Barnhart ends on a positive note, observing the many ways that these cultures have survived, and expressing hope that the modern descendants of the Maya, the Aztecs, and the many other cultures will take control of their heritage. For my part, now I really want to go to Mexico.
January 29, 2023
This was extremely detailed and interesting. Barnhart first caught my attention with Ancient Civilizations of North America, and he continues to impress here. He goes deep into the history of Mesomerica (modern day central Mexico down through Central America), covering the various tribes who have lived in those lands over the millenniums, not even getting to Columbus until the second half of the lecture series. And this is a long series, 48 lectures total. He covers what we know of their governments, art, sports, social structures and religious practices, and other aspects besides. Even though the title says "Maya to Aztec" he actually goes back further to cultures that existed long before the Maya and Aztecs.
He explains also the issues with cultivating ancient Mesoamerican landmarks. Many of them have been built over and are in use. Some are simply inaccessible due to environmental hazards, or in previous years, war factions. He's clear that the theories available today about how these ancient Americans lived are just that, theories. They could be confirmed by further finds - or disproved and replaced by other theories. You can tell he has great love and passion for his work and the peoples he studies, both those who lived in the past and those who are alive today.
While he had a lot of really great visuals on his PDF, I do wish he'd included some maps.
He explains also the issues with cultivating ancient Mesoamerican landmarks. Many of them have been built over and are in use. Some are simply inaccessible due to environmental hazards, or in previous years, war factions. He's clear that the theories available today about how these ancient Americans lived are just that, theories. They could be confirmed by further finds - or disproved and replaced by other theories. You can tell he has great love and passion for his work and the peoples he studies, both those who lived in the past and those who are alive today.
While he had a lot of really great visuals on his PDF, I do wish he'd included some maps.
November 3, 2020
Probably one of the best Great Courses I've listened too and also the longest. This was 48 45 minute lectures on Mesoamerican culture up too present. It was outstanding and the lecturer was enthusiastic and very well spoken, so much so that I will now be looking for and listening to all of his 0ther great courses lectures even though the subject matter wasn't at first a big interest of mine. I learned more about the Mayan/Olmec/zaptec/Aztec and more in this course than I had learned up too this course.
Be forewarned this is a long series of lectures and some information will be boring for some as the series is very extensive. Still a great series.
Be forewarned this is a long series of lectures and some information will be boring for some as the series is very extensive. Still a great series.
December 2, 2018
The Great Courses rock. This series with Professor Ed Barnhart was one of the best. This one has 48 lectures on 24 discs. Each one is 30 minutes long. I recommend these to anyone looking to really dig into the history of Mesoamerica; starting in the beginning with hunter/gatherers chasing Mastodons, leading into the Olmec and wrapping up with Spanish contact and the future of Mesoamerican archaeology.
December 13, 2017
Very impressive! I wish I could have afforded to watch the series, but I only could get the Audible version. This course complimented not only several courses I took for my Anthropology degree, but also several books I already had. The lecturer studied under the legendary archaeologists of his field and has made a few discoveries himself. I highly recommend this lecture series!
July 13, 2020
The best review I can give this is to simply say while listening to this, I went and got the other great courses that Dr. Barnhart does.
He is that good. He also presents it from more than a simple white person view. The story about language and the cracking the code as it were was particularly funny.
This guy is great.
Great Courses at its best.
He is that good. He also presents it from more than a simple white person view. The story about language and the cracking the code as it were was particularly funny.
This guy is great.
Great Courses at its best.
June 12, 2017
This Great Courses Lecture series delves deep into the history of Mesoamerica. My biggest takeaway from this series was learning that pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture was much more sophisticated than I ever realized. It was fascinating to learn about the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which lies underneath modern-day Mexico City. At its peak, it was the largest city in the new world with 200,000 residents. The city was centered in the middle of a lake and the Aztecs created a sophisticated system of interconnecting canals, dykes, causeways and bridges. Many of the buildings had running water accessed by a fresh-water aqueduct. This series encompasses not only the Aztecs, but also the Mayas, Olmecs and other lesser-known groups. It is a long series with 48 lectures, so clocks in at 24 hours. It was a little more detailed than I had intended to delve into, but the lecturer was excellent and it was well worth my time. I would recommend this course if you are interested in an in-depth look at Mesoamerican culture.
September 19, 2025
Mainly architectural evidence of kingship and sacrifice, astrology and sacred time, shamans and the underworld.
September 11, 2020
This is one of the best Great Courses books I have yet read. Edwin Barnhart offers forty-eight extremely lucid lectures on the history of Mesoamerica (roughly modern day Central America and Mexico). Part of what makes these lectures stand out is the effortless interweaving of the historiography that has revealed this history with the history of the region. You get the impression that unlike in Egypt where most of the great finds have probably been discovered, that we have barely scratched the surface of uncovering the remains of the great cities of the Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs. Barnhart makes both the history and the uncovering of that history come to life.
If you are like me, and listen to audiobooks in the car or while taking walks for exercise, you are probably going to want to listen to this series more than once. The basic problem—no fault of the author’s—is that the place names and the names of the majority of the rulers—were not familiar to me before I started the course. That means that I was constantly checking maps a couple of lectures behind where I was in the course. Next time through, I’ll be better prepared.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you are like me, and listen to audiobooks in the car or while taking walks for exercise, you are probably going to want to listen to this series more than once. The basic problem—no fault of the author’s—is that the place names and the names of the majority of the rulers—were not familiar to me before I started the course. That means that I was constantly checking maps a couple of lectures behind where I was in the course. Next time through, I’ll be better prepared.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
December 31, 2016
I really enjoyed this lecture series. Dr. Barhart is both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Mesoamerican cultures. He's gotten his hands dirty in archeological sites like Copan in Honduras (been there, yeah!).
The only reason I would not rate this series a 5 is because it really needs pictures and maps. About half-way through the lectures, I started looking up images of the locations and artifacts online. This really helped add to the lecture. I would suggest that other listeners do this.
This lecture series has been an important part of the research in my third novel: "Avenue of the Dead." Was that a plug? Maybe, but I wanted to give credit to where credit was due. Thank Dr. Barnhart. Keep digging.
The only reason I would not rate this series a 5 is because it really needs pictures and maps. About half-way through the lectures, I started looking up images of the locations and artifacts online. This really helped add to the lecture. I would suggest that other listeners do this.
This lecture series has been an important part of the research in my third novel: "Avenue of the Dead." Was that a plug? Maybe, but I wanted to give credit to where credit was due. Thank Dr. Barnhart. Keep digging.
May 28, 2015
An interesting introduction to better appreciate and understand ancient Meso-American cultures and contemporary heritage, concluding with recent history and contemporary issues and questions to stimulate further research. Barnhart is always clear about his speculation and when he sides with controversial theories, and does not shy from colonialism's legacies, racism, and indigenous community resistance and empowerment.
February 20, 2016
A good introduction to the many cultures of ancient Mesoamerica from the earliest times to today. I found it a bit more pedantic than his series on South America, but there was a lot to cover and the way the show was produced didn't allow him to speak as spontaneously.
September 8, 2015
A really in-depth look at the cultures that made up Mesoamerica. This is a very good guide to how they interacted and what is currently still unknown about the different people groups.
July 7, 2018
Very long. Good instructor. No visuals needed. Difficult to keep the various cultures separate.
October 28, 2019
I wish more of this info made it into American History classes.
October 9, 2025
100/10. Edwin Barnhart is an absolute legend! Mesoamerica has an amazingly rich and brutal story and few articulate it as well as Ed.
August 6, 2024
My only real complaints about this series are with pronunciation. Barnhart butchers a fair number of Nahuatl words and names and, among other peculiarities, he pronounces 'brazier' as 'brassiere.'
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June 28, 2022Местами тенденциозный, но очень информативный курс, который я, оказывается, со всеми перерывами и возвращениями слушала почти год.
December 24, 2022
I listened to the Audible audiobook version of this lecture series, which is why it took me such a long time - well, both because it's massive and because you know how I am with audio content. Nevertheless, the time I spent with this series should not be considered indicative of how little I enjoyed it - quite the contrary. Mesoamerican history is incredibly rich and complex and my educational pursuits barely scratched the surface. Indeed, even a long, thoughtful, wide-ranging lecture series like this can't be said to be a comprehensive examination of the various cultures and events in this part of the continent through several thousand years. However, it's a wonderful introduction, taking its time to explore both the familiar cultural highlights and many more obscure historical and sociological details. I also enjoyed Ed Barnhart's lecturing style and personality, and appreciated his appreciation for the cultures of Mesoamerica both historical and modern. Highly recommend.
March 20, 2022
Excellent introduction to the history, ethnography and archaeology of Mesoamerica, highly recommended to anyone interested in the (mostly) pre-Cortez history of this fascinating part of the world.
June 26, 2018
Cheating a bit since I actually watched the DVD version of this, but I don't feel like trying to make a separate record for it, especially since that seems to go against standards for new additions.
Anyway, this was an enjoyable lecture series. I've previously listened to Lost Worlds of South America by the same lecturer and found it quite enjoyable and informative. This lecture series had the positive boost of visuals to better explain things, but on the downside it was quite long at 48 lectures (literally a full day of material) and it lacked the sort of captive audience quality of things that I listen to in my car, so it took me longer than it probably should have to get through and I was a bit more distracted from the material than I should have been. It is a good series, and I enjoy how it provides a much better overview of Mesoamerican history than I have previously encountered. I feel like most of the time there is a sort of summary like "the Maya rose and then fell for unknown reasons in this time and place. And then much later at a different location the Aztec rose to prominence." But of course the Maya never really went away (something I was already vaguely aware of), and there was much greater continuity of culture and ideas among the Maya, the Aztec, and various other less prominent or well-known societies.
I think I should probably either re-watch this series, or else listen to the audio version of it at some point so I can give the material the full attention it deserves.
Anyway, this was an enjoyable lecture series. I've previously listened to Lost Worlds of South America by the same lecturer and found it quite enjoyable and informative. This lecture series had the positive boost of visuals to better explain things, but on the downside it was quite long at 48 lectures (literally a full day of material) and it lacked the sort of captive audience quality of things that I listen to in my car, so it took me longer than it probably should have to get through and I was a bit more distracted from the material than I should have been. It is a good series, and I enjoy how it provides a much better overview of Mesoamerican history than I have previously encountered. I feel like most of the time there is a sort of summary like "the Maya rose and then fell for unknown reasons in this time and place. And then much later at a different location the Aztec rose to prominence." But of course the Maya never really went away (something I was already vaguely aware of), and there was much greater continuity of culture and ideas among the Maya, the Aztec, and various other less prominent or well-known societies.
I think I should probably either re-watch this series, or else listen to the audio version of it at some point so I can give the material the full attention it deserves.
June 20, 2018
I read a couple of books (the Popol Vuh and a book on Mayan architecture) to prepare for a trip to Mexico with a plan to see some Mayan ruins. Those were helpful, but I also wish I had gone through this series of lectures beforehand, because it both covers aspects of Mayan culture, history, and archaeology, and puts it in context both geographically and in time with other Mexican cultures. It's a good overview of pre-contact Mexican cultures, as well as a look at those cultures as they interacted with the Spanish and into the modern day. I now have a better idea of how the different cultures interacted, and were related, and I much appreciate that, because it was a bit confusing beforehand. This was a great overview for learning more about these fascinating cultures.
April 2, 2019
I really enjoyed this lecture series for a couple reasons.
First, I knew very little about the subject matter. This is, like many of the Great Courses, an introductory survey course. For me there was something new and fascinating every lecture and usually many things.
Second, Prof Barnhart has done a lot of field work and still does field work, has made many discoveries himself which brings an immediacy to his presentation as well as a personal touch.
The course covers prehistory to today but centers on the period of about 1500 BC to just after contact with the Europeans, say about 1600. He touches on all the major and some minor groups. The emphasis is on Olmec, Maya and Aztec. The journey is wonderful. Wish I could go do a study tour there.
First, I knew very little about the subject matter. This is, like many of the Great Courses, an introductory survey course. For me there was something new and fascinating every lecture and usually many things.
Second, Prof Barnhart has done a lot of field work and still does field work, has made many discoveries himself which brings an immediacy to his presentation as well as a personal touch.
The course covers prehistory to today but centers on the period of about 1500 BC to just after contact with the Europeans, say about 1600. He touches on all the major and some minor groups. The emphasis is on Olmec, Maya and Aztec. The journey is wonderful. Wish I could go do a study tour there.
May 24, 2022
The author is nice and clearly knows his stuff, but for some reason I couldn't get into this series. It had a bit of a sense of a list of "one damn thing after another" without interpretation to make the flow of history make some coherent sense or show broader patterns/trends.
I suspect this is a result of the scarcity of sources for early Mesoamerican history — there's only so much you can say based on building ruins and pottery.
I suspect this is a result of the scarcity of sources for early Mesoamerican history — there's only so much you can say based on building ruins and pottery.
May 18, 2021
Gave up after a thirf of it. Too much focus on calenders, geometry and maths. Didn't work as an audiobook though may be better in print. Think its because its from the perspective of an archeo-astronamer, not enough about what the people of the civilisations were actually getting up to but plenty on the various systems they used to keep track of what they did.
November 5, 2017
মায়া আর অ্যাজটেক সভ্যতার ইতিহাস। অসভ্যতার ইতিহাসও। এই প্রসঙ্গে এরচে ভালো বই আর আছে বলে জানা নেই।
জীবনে কতকিছুই হতে চাইছিলাম, কখনো প্রত্মতাত্ত্বিক হতে চাইনি। এই বইটা না শোনা পর্যন্ত! ২৩ ঘন্টার বই। শুনে শেষ করে মনে হলো শেষ হয়ে গেলো! আহারে!
জীবনে কতকিছুই হতে চাইছিলাম, কখনো প্রত্মতাত্ত্বিক হতে চাইনি। এই বইটা না শোনা পর্যন্ত! ২৩ ঘন্টার বই। শুনে শেষ করে মনে হলো শেষ হয়ে গেলো! আহারে!
May 30, 2024
This was such a great listen! Very informative and really well put together. Not drab or boring like some lecture in the great courses. This one held my attention thru most and i was able to talk about what i learned after. Now i want to know more about the mesoamerican history!
May 1, 2015
Very long and at the same time very basic. A fascinating course on Ancient Mesoamerica. Last chapters touched the Conquista and modern times. Very, very good.
June 19, 2015
Much better than the same author's overview of Inca/pre-Inca history. He still had the somewhat annoying habit of repetition, but the material felt much better grounded.
October 7, 2022
For the right person, this is going to be great. If you're really into numerical calendar systems. If you've always dreamed of being a bloodthirsty warrior who cuts out hearts atop a pyramid. If you're interested in the roots of the modern worship of ball players. Or especially if you're interested in the history and current state of affairs in American archaeology.
I came to this book hoping to learn more about daily life in pre-Columbian societies, as well as their histories and mythologies. Daily life for any non-mathematician non-warrior is skimmed. I don't know if that's because there isn't much information available, or if that's just not where Barnhart's interest lies. The histories are covered, but for many different societies and with an assumed familiarity that makes it hard to follow as he cross-references them all, dropping place names so often that I would have needed a map to keep up. And mythology is covered pretty briefly as well.
I'll give you an example. When the Spanish arrive, Barnhart keeps commenting on how they demand that the Aztecs quit committing sodomy, but the Aztecs refuse because it's central to their society and religion. But Aztec sexuality has never been touched on before. Who was committing sodomy with who, and how was it so central? We have no idea. We hear several times that the Spanish want it to stop, but it's never mentioned before or after.
Similarly, food is pretty much skimmed, clothing is skimmed, any jobs outside of mathematician, warrior, or ball player aren't referenced much. The economy is kind of skimmed. Architecture gets more attention, but mostly centered around the calendrical mathematics of temples. I was interested in learning more about the pantheons of gods, but only a few major deities are referenced.
Here's what interests Barnhart, and what you'll get a lot of:
1. Mesoamerican archaeology. This book is primarily about archaeology of the Mayans, Aztecs, etc. more than it is about the Mayans, Aztecs, etc.
2. Math. He spends a LOT of time on complex calendars and processes of mathematical computation.
3. Fighting. The warriors and battles of the various societies get pretty good coverage, and he takes it for granted that the most vicious warriors would (should?) be the elite of a society.
4. Ball games. Ball games were an even bigger deal to Mesoamerican societies than they are to modern suburbanites, and they get good coverage here.
5. The modern-day people of Mesoamerica. Barnhart clearly has a lot of respect for traditional Mexican society and it's nice that he points out the Mexicans working to preserve and continue to live their heritage.
So if those five things sound fascinating to you, you should definitely listen to this. It's very long and there is a lot of information on those topics.
I came to this book hoping to learn more about daily life in pre-Columbian societies, as well as their histories and mythologies. Daily life for any non-mathematician non-warrior is skimmed. I don't know if that's because there isn't much information available, or if that's just not where Barnhart's interest lies. The histories are covered, but for many different societies and with an assumed familiarity that makes it hard to follow as he cross-references them all, dropping place names so often that I would have needed a map to keep up. And mythology is covered pretty briefly as well.
I'll give you an example. When the Spanish arrive, Barnhart keeps commenting on how they demand that the Aztecs quit committing sodomy, but the Aztecs refuse because it's central to their society and religion. But Aztec sexuality has never been touched on before. Who was committing sodomy with who, and how was it so central? We have no idea. We hear several times that the Spanish want it to stop, but it's never mentioned before or after.
Similarly, food is pretty much skimmed, clothing is skimmed, any jobs outside of mathematician, warrior, or ball player aren't referenced much. The economy is kind of skimmed. Architecture gets more attention, but mostly centered around the calendrical mathematics of temples. I was interested in learning more about the pantheons of gods, but only a few major deities are referenced.
Here's what interests Barnhart, and what you'll get a lot of:
1. Mesoamerican archaeology. This book is primarily about archaeology of the Mayans, Aztecs, etc. more than it is about the Mayans, Aztecs, etc.
2. Math. He spends a LOT of time on complex calendars and processes of mathematical computation.
3. Fighting. The warriors and battles of the various societies get pretty good coverage, and he takes it for granted that the most vicious warriors would (should?) be the elite of a society.
4. Ball games. Ball games were an even bigger deal to Mesoamerican societies than they are to modern suburbanites, and they get good coverage here.
5. The modern-day people of Mesoamerica. Barnhart clearly has a lot of respect for traditional Mexican society and it's nice that he points out the Mexicans working to preserve and continue to live their heritage.
So if those five things sound fascinating to you, you should definitely listen to this. It's very long and there is a lot of information on those topics.
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