The Maya: Life, Myth, and Art [Hardcover]

Timothy Laughton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

"The Maya" moves deftly from theme to theme to present a fresh appraisal of the cultural and artistic legacy of the Maya, most spectacularly seen at the great temple complexes. From monumental architecture to intricate stone carvings to breathtakingly vivid wall paintings, this lavishly illustrated volume features over 200 images in full color.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The 1990s have been a period of explosive growth in our knowledge of the ancient Maya people of Central America; as the region grows in population and forests are cleared for fields and towns, more and more Mayan ruins are being found. Timothy Laughton, an English art historian, draws on recent fieldwork to give us this richly illustrated, inviting introduction to Mayan prehistory, which is especially strong on what is reliably known about the culture's beliefs and religious practices. Organized as a series of brief essays on matters like trade, astronomy, timekeeping, and architecture, Laughton's book examines some long-standing curiosities: Why, for instance, did the Maya people, as politically and militarily well organized as they were, never forge a single empire to rival that of the neighboring Aztecs? Why did the so-called classic Maya civilization collapse when there is no discernible reason for its having done so--no invaders, no plague, no famine? Laughton hazards a few guesses, but he is mostly content to let mysteries remain where the facts do not immediately offer an explanation. Geared to general readers, his book will also be useful to beginning students in Mesoamerican archaeology and cultural history. --Gregory McNamee

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Stewart Tabori & Chang; First Edition edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556708238
• ISBN-13: 978-1556708237
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,344,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great introductory book on Maya, June 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Maya: Life, Myth, and Art (Hardcover)

The book provides an excellent overview of Maya civilization. It is relatively short and keeps all the information to the minimum, so you can grasp all the facts in short time and not start losing your mind. There are plenty of good quality colour pictures of ancient Maya sites to keep you awake. Would highly recommend this book to somebody who just started developing his interest in Maya civilisation - you won't be disappointed

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful pictorial overview of the Mayan culture, November 23, 2002

By 

Debbie Lee Wesselmann (the Lehigh Valley, PA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Maya :Life, Myth and Art (Hardcover)

Through gorgeous photographs of ruins, murals, figurines, pottery, and other artifacts, Laughton guides the reader through an introduction to the complexities of Mayan society. He touches upon topics as varied as sacrifice, glyphs, sports, and the significance of the jaguar. But this book's strength is not the concise text. THE MAYA is primarily a visual look at the Mayan culture - and here it excels.

At 135 pages, this is not an exhaustive book but rather a brief overview. Readers wanting an in-depth exploration of the culture should look elsewhere. Those who simply have a curiosity about the Mayas, or who love the visual impact of antiquities, will enjoy this book immensely.