The Maya: Lost Civilizations

Lost Civilizations

by Megan E. O’Neil

An illuminating look at the myriad communities who have engaged with the ancient Maya over the centuries.
 
This book reveals how the ancient Maya—and their buildings, ideas, objects, and identities—have been perceived, portrayed, and exploited over five hundred years in the Americas, Europe, and beyond.
 
Engaging in interdisciplinary analysis, the book summarizes ancient Maya art and history from the preclassical period to the Spanish invasion, as well as the history of outside engagement with the ancient Maya, from Spanish invaders in the sixteenth century to later explorers and archaeologists, taking in scientific literature, visual arts, architecture, world’s fairs, and Indigenous activism. It also looks at the decipherment of Maya inscriptions, Maya museum exhibitions and artists’ responses, and contemporary Maya people’s engagements with their ancestral past. Featuring the latest research, this book will interest scholars as well as general readers who wish to know more about this ancient, fascinating culture.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

296 pages, Hardcover

Published December 26, 2022

Reviews

[Will Deakin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flounders a little bit. Should be named “Art History of the Maya.” Well written, and illuminating in parts, but as the only book on the Maya available in my library, I was a little disappointed in its lack of valuable info on the civilizations themselves.