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Jungle of Stone: The True Story of Two Men, Their Extraordinary Journey, and the Discovery of the Lost Civilization of the Maya by William Carlsen - 5* - My Review

This book provides a dual biography of American diplomat John Lloyd Stephens (1805 – 1852) and British artist Frederick Catherwood (1799 – 1854). It documents their journeys to the jungles of Central America to rediscover the locations of the Maya civilization. They traveled through what is now Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Local guides took them to see the carved stones hidden in the tropical forests. Stephens recorded their expeditions in his journals, and later published a book, and Catherwood created detailed drawings. They endured onerous challenges during these trips, catching multiple mosquito-borne diseases and dealing with violent political unrest.

Carlsen weaves together stories of their adventures with archaeological discoveries (which took place even before archeology was a defined term). He provides historical context about the warring political factions in the region and the locals’ distrust of outsiders. He addresses cultural imperialism, especially the fact that many scholars of the time refused to believe the indigenous people of Central America could have created such sculptures, architectural designs, and complex civilizations well before the arrival of the first Europeans. Stephens and Catherwood challenged that viewpoint, and of course, they were ultimately proven correct.

The author also addresses the less appealing aspects of their expedition, including the removal of Mayan artifacts and the Western tendency to "discover" places where people had lived for centuries. Carlsen’s writing combines adventure narrative and scholarly analysis. It is a great book to pick up to understand the history of the Maya civilization. I feel like I learned a great deal from this book. It is top rate non-fiction. I highly recommend it to readers interested in the history of the pre-Columbian Americas.