Yucatan Before and After the Conquest (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Only significant account done of Yucatan in post-Conquest era. Describes geography and natural history of the peninsula, gives brief history of Mayan life, discusses Spanish conquest and its effects and provides a long summary of Maya civilization. Translator William Gates has added appendices, 4 maps and over 120 illustrations.

Language Notes

Text: English, Spanish (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (May 1, 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486236226
• ISBN-13: 978-0486236223
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #178,891 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An important, but infuriating, historical resource, August 15, 2001

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"Yucatan Before and After the Conquest" is the English translation of the 1566 work "Relacion de las cosas de Yucatan," by Diego de Landa. Translator William Gates has also provided some illuminating notes to the text. De Landa was a clergyman who was instrumental in suppressing the indigenous Mayan culture of Yucatan. In his introduction, Gates notes ironically that de Landa "burned ninety-nine times as much knowledge of Maya history and sciences as he has given us in his book." Also ironically, de Landa wrote the book as a matter of self-justification after his forced return to Spain.

So de Landa's work must be read with a very critical eye. Still, this is a frequently fascinating account of Native American life at the time of the Spanish conquest. De Landa describes Indian architecture, clothing, culinary arts, and musical instruments. He also describes the bounteous plant and animal life of the region (particularly interesting is his account of the manatees). De Landa also describes the "Europeanization" of the younger Indian generation, and explains why he destroyed priceless native texts.

This edition contains some supplemental documents implicating de Landa as the "chief author" of many of the abuses heaped upon the Indians by their Spanish conquerors. This book is an important resource, but it is also a chilling record of cultural imperialism, religious chauvinism, and personal arrogance.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Landa, June 27, 2000

By	Adrian Romero (California, U. S. A.) - See all my reviews

During the sixteenth century, the Franciscan friar Diego de Landa put into writing the Relacion de Las Cosas de Yucatan. This work is a translation of the manuscript from 1566 by the renowned scholar William Gates. The Dover edition was originally published as Publication Number 20 by the Maya Society, Baltimore, 1937. This was reportedly the first English translation of that text. Landa's relacion pieced together the culture and society of the Yucatec Maya as he saw the people, their practices and their region during his time. Although his work may be labeled as "Euro centric" by our standards, his writings are an early example of ethnographical accounts by a foreign observer. Diego de Landa has left scholars a view into the perceptions of a sixteenth century European clergyman as he encountered a foreign culture.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The lush bizarre world of the Mayans comes alive, October 20, 1999

By	James T. Heeney ([e-mail]) (West Caldwell, New Jersey) - See all my reviews

. . . in this 16th Century account by a dogmatic, strident Franciscan Friar who devoted much of his life to cementing the Spanish conquest by forcible proselytizing, and destroying Mayan religious texts and iconography. Outside of the handful of original Mayan codices that have survived, this work constitutes the single most important resource on ancient Mayan culture, which is ironic because Landa single-handedly eradicated much of the material which would have provided modern scholars important insight into the unique civilization. Landa's brief account presents an overview of Mayan social and religious customs, mythology, astrology, as well as his keen observations regarding the climate, flora and fauna of the Yucatan region. Readers more interested in the conquest itself rather than the Mayans will want to look elsewhere, but will find some useful information regarding Cortes and the responses of the indigenous tribes to contact with the conquistadores.