Pacaritambo

BREAKING THE MAYA CODE
by Michael D. Coe. B&W drawings and photos illustrate. Condition: NEW 1994 Thames and Hudson Trade Paperback, reprint. Content: The decipherment of the Maya script was "one of the most exciting intellectual adventures of our age, on a par with the exploration of space and the discovery of the genetic code." He presents the story eloquently and in detail, with many illustrations of the mysterious Maya inscriptions and the people who tried to decipher them. Most of the credit, he says, goes to the late Yuri V. Knorosov of the Russian Institute of Ethnography, but many others participated. They did not always agree, and some of them went up blind alleys. Coe, emeritus professor of anthropology at Yale University, vividly describes the battles, missteps and successes. What is now established, he writes, is that "the Maya writing system is a mix of logograms and syllabic signs; with the latter, they could and often did write words purely phonetically." Coe concludes with a swipe at "dirt archaeologists" who believe the decipherment of Maya writing "is not worthy of notice." According to them, he asserts, "the Maya inscriptions are 'epiphenomenal,' a ten-penny word meaning that Maya writing is only of marginal application since it is secondary to those more primary institutions--economy and society--so well studied by the dirt archaeologists." Coe sees that attitude as "sour grapes" and ascribes it to "the inability or unwillingness of anthropologically trained archaeologists to admit that they are dealing with the remains of real people, who once lived and spoke." Excellent archaelogical book dealing with all aspects of the Maya Civilization. [2 copies available]
$ 8.89 + shipping

DWARF-WIZARD OF UXMAL (A Mayan Legend)
told by Susan Hand Shetterly. Wonderful, colorful, historically accurate illustrations by Robert Shetterly. Red boards with gold Mayan warrior in headdress. Condition: NEW 1990 Atheneum hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: This is a lengthy, illustrated retelling, in five chapters, of a Yucatan Mayan hero legend. A tiny dwarf is hatched from an egg and raised by a reclusive old woman. On his 15th birthday, the old woman instructs the boy, Tol, to challenge the leader of the city of Uxmal. Aided by magic, he does, fulfilling an ancient prophesy. This telling is steeped in ritual and ceremonial lore, using animals, foods, and dress to enrich the sense of locale and culture. The story should engage the interest of children who enjoy more protracted tales; the vivid imagery of its words recommends it for reading aloud. Ages 9 - 12. [1 copy available]
$ 12.49 + shipping

THE FALL OF THE ANCIENT MAYA: Solving the Mystery of the Maya Collapse
by David Webster. Two B&W photo sections plus B&W drawings and maps throughout. Condition: NEW 2002 Thames & Hudson hardcover & DJ (in mylr jacket), no printing given. Content: The mystique of the ancient Maya dates from the early 19th century, when explorers in Central America rediscovered temple and palace complexes, astronomical observatories, and monuments with hieroglyphic inscriptions. The image of a lost civilization absorbed by jungle has fueled the popular imagination, leading to much speculation about how and why the classic Maya culture collapsed. Webster here outlines what is known about that culture and discusses the meaning of civilization as applied to the ancient Maya. He notes that the Maya represented not a united empire but a group of kingdoms sharing an elite culture that did not survive the collapse, though descendants of the ancient Maya still live in the same geographical areas. Webster also reviews evidence from archaeology, paleography, and historical writings and discusses theories of the collapse, concluding that it was not sudden but gradual and that its causes vary with location and may be attributed to overpopulation, environmental degradation, warfare, and the decline of kingship ideology. This excellent overview of classic Maya culture and history will be of interest to both the specialist and the general reader. [1 copy available]
$ 20.49 + shipping

A GUIDE TO ANCIENT MAYA RUINS (Second Edition)
by C. Bruce Hunter. B&W photos and layout maps. Condition: NEW 1986 University of Oklahoma Press Trade Paperback, second edition, revised & enlarged, 4th printing. Content: This is just what the title says - a guide to all of the Mayan ruins. Wonderful B&W photos with detailed & labeled layout drawings of each ruin. Great research tool. 342 pages. [1 copy available]
$ 8.49 + shipping

MAYA: The Riddle And Rediscovery of a Lost Civilization (3rd Revised Ed.)
by Charles Gallenkamp. Two large B&W photo sections. Condition: NEW 1987 Penguin Trade Paperback, 3rd revised edition, 11th printing. Perfect condition. Content: Reviewer: "Mr. Gallenkamp's short book provides a good, informative introduction into the history of the Maya. He has included a synopsis of each era, focusing on the Classic; and he gives helpful details about the transitions from one age to the next. He also has written some fascinating chapters about the stories of the churchmen, explorers, and archeologists who first dared define the Maya: Landa, Stephens, Thompson, Ruz, et. al. In my nascent studies of the Maya, this short history has given me enough knowledge and information to feel comfortable while challenging my imagination and curiousity to continue on my journey." Classic history and archaeology! [1 copy available]
$ 7.89 + shipping

THE MAYAN FACTOR: Path Beyond Technology
by Jose Arguelles. Wonderful, detailed B&W drawings illustrate. Condition: Gently pre-read 1988 Bear & Company (Santa Fe) soft cover, no printing given. Problem is the front cover panel - hinge crease with edgewear & crease near fore edge. Interior clean & tight. Content: Visionary historian Arguelles unravels the harmonic code of the ancient Maya providing valuable keys to understanding human evolution. This is more "new age" than history or archaeology, but there is still much "real" information here and the graphics are excellent. [1 copy available]
$ 4.89 + shipping

THE MAYAS: Life, Culture and Art Through the Experiences of a Man of the Time
by Demetrio Sodi M. B&W drawings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1989 Panorama (Mexico) paperback, 7th English printing. Tiny edgewear & some light shelfwear handling. Interior very clean. Content: Part archaeology, part history, and part historical fiction - a unique book to say the least. The history of the Mayan world during the Post-Classic Period is told through the eyes of KEH - the birth and life of this one man is the background against which unfolds an extraordinary account of the customs, art, religion, science and social, political and economic organization of the Mayas. Of course, some of it is dated, but most is not. Certainly worth yoru time. Demetrio Sodi M. is a renowned archeologist, writer, and expert on Indian culture. Exciting work. Also inclues a ghossay of Mayan words. [1 copy available]
$ 5.89 + shipping

THE MAYAS: Life, Culture and Art Through the Experiences of a Man of the Time
by Demetrio Sodi M. Wonderful, detailed B&W drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 1983 Panorama (Mexico) paperback, third English edition. Content: Part archaeology, part history, and part historical fiction - a unique book to say the least. The history of the Mayan world during the Post-Classic Period is told through the eyes of KEH - the birth and life of this one man is the background against which unfolds an extraordinary account of the customs, art, religion, science and social, political and economic organization of the Mayas. Of course, some of it is dated, but most is not. Certainly worth yoru time. Demetrio Sodi M. is a renowned archeologist, writer, and expert on Indian culture. Exciting work. Also inclues a ghossay of Mayan words. [1 copy available]
$ 8.89 + shipping [media mail USA]

A MILLENNIUM OF WEAVING IN CHIAPAS:
an Introduction to the Pellizzi Collection of Chiapas Textiles
text by Walter F. Morris (text). Photograhy by Jeffrey Jay Foxx and Micaela Guirk. B&W and color photos. Condition: Very Good, gently pre-read Trade Paperback published by Gobierno del Estado de Chiapas, Mexico. Small edgewear. Interior clean & tight. Content: The story of the art of weaving from the ancient Mayas to the work of their descendants in Chiapas. Beautifull illustrated with color and B&W photos and drawings from Bonampak to the Highlands of Mexico of today. "In the beginning of the world the Goddess of the Moon taught women to weave and to brocade sacred designs." Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 11.49 + shipping

THE MYSTERY OF THE MAYAN HIEROGLYPHS: The Vision of an Ancient Tradition
by Richard Luxton with Pablo Balam. B&W photos and drawings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 1982 Harper & Row Trade Paperback, first US Edition, first printing. Edgewear to front cover fore edge with moderate tanning to interior page edges. Content: This is the story of Mayan hieroglyphic writing remembered and interpreted by a contemporary Mayan Indian, don Pablo Balam, working with a young Anglo-Peruvian writer, Luxton. Pablo Balam's words are the only explanation of Mayan sacred writing given to outsides since the pre-Columbian culture was repressed by the Spanish invaders. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 9.50 + shipping [media mail USA]

THE MYSTERY OF THE MAYAN HIEROGLYPHS: The Vision of an Ancient Tradition
by Richard Luxton with Pablo Balam. B&W photos and drawings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 1982 Harper & Row Trade Paperback, first US Edition, first printing. This copy has problems: 2 diagonal crases bottom front cover corner and serious rubbings along the front hinge. The interior has moderate tanning to page edges. Content: This is the story of Mayan hieroglyphic writing remembered and interpreted by a contemporary Mayan Indian, don Pablo Balam, working with a young Anglo-Peruvian writer, Luxton. Pablo Balam's words are the only explanation of Mayan sacred writing given to outsides since the pre-Columbian culture was repressed by the Spanish invaders. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 7.50 + shipping

READING THE PAST: MAYA GLYPHS
by S. D. Houston. B&W photos and drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 1989 University of California Press/British Museum Trade Paperback, second impression. Content: A great introduction to the study of Maya Glyphs used from before AD 250 until well after the Spanish invasion. While the research into the Maya civilization and its "language" is changing almost daily, this is still a good basic first text for the layman. [1 copy available]
$ 8.50 + shipping

SAN RAFAEL: A Central American City Through the Ages
by Xavier Hernandez. Detailed & historically accurate B&W illustrations by Jordi Ballonga, and Josep Escofet. Translated by Kathleen Leverich. Condition: Gently pre-read 1992 Houghton Mifflin hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. No problems, just pre-read. Content: In the first centuries after the birth of Christ, a unique civilization rose out of Central America's tropical forests. The Mayan people created an agricultural society and built spectacular religious centers that served as hubs of vast, densely populated regions. They managed these feats in a jungle environment totally unsuited to the growth of cities and the successful practice of farming, and did so with only the most basic technology at their disposal. Hernandez uses a ficticious city as the prototype for all Central American cities of Mayan descent. Each stage in its development, from its birth as a small village 3000 years ago, through its uncertain future in the late 20th century, is examined in double-page spreads. For each time period, a detailed architectural rendering provides a panoramic view of San Rafael and the surrounding area. A half-page inset then diagrams that scene, identifying land usages, buildings, and infrastructure. Text and additional pen-and-ink illustrations explain other aspects of Mayan society that, after rising out of the jungle to glory, collapsed in ruin to emerge as a mixture of Spanish colonialism and New World cultures. The text is brief but clearly written, offering readers a great deal of information in a small amount of space. Although most children will be fascinated by the intricate detail, some may be confused by the terrain analysis and overwhelmed by the volume of textual and visual material. [While this is recommended for Junior High School kids, adults are most likely to enjoy this book more, IMHO.] Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 7.79 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

STAIRWAYS TO THE STARS: Skywatching in Three Great Ancient Cultures
by Anthony Aveni. B&W photos and detailed drawings of astronomical observation sites. Condition: NEW 1996 John Wiley & Sons hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: With little or no technology, many ancient societies achieved significant understanding of the movements and cycles of the moon, sun, planets, and stars. The primary difference between their astronomy and ours is that they believed the sky served as a connection between the natural and spiritual world, while our Western view of science dictates an objective, quantifiable, and measurable existence. Using the findings of the last decade, Aveni (Behind the Crystal Ball) examines the astronomy of three ancient societies: Great Britain and Stonehenge; the Mayas and the cult of Venus; and the Incas and the city of Cuzco, built as a vast observatory. Also included is a chapter on "naked eye" observing that allows readers to see the night sky as did our ancient ancestors. This book is not as much a history of astronomy, but a focused survey of the beliefs and astronomy of three ancient cultures and how they compare and contrast with the prevailing way that Western society watches the night sky. [1 copy available]
$ 10.89 + shipping

THE WORLD OF THE ANCIENT MAYA
by John S. Henderson. B&W photos and drawings plus color photo section. Condition: NEW 1997 Cornell University Press huge hardcover [1.2 x 9.0 x 10.0 (329 pages)] second edition, first printing. Content: Since it was first published in 1981, this book has established itself as an extraordinarily accomplished--comprehensive, elegantly written, and concise--introduction to the rich Maya culture. In this edition, John S. Henderson has thoroughly revised the text and added a wealth of new photographs and drawings. Henderson explores the entire Maya cultural tradition, from the earliest traces of settlement through the period of the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century. The ancient Mayas were the only fully literate precolumbian people in the Americas, and Henderson incorporates deciphered Maya texts in his reconstruction of ancient Maya societies. Superb scientists, the Mayas developed a very sophisticated mathematics and an intricate and accurate calendar system. Theirs was one of the few complex societies to emerge in and to adapt successfully to a tropical forest environment. Their architecture, sculpture, and painting were sophisticated and compellingly beautiful. [2 copies available]
$11.50 + $ 3.39 media shipping. [No International on this book, please.]

WORLD OF THE MAYA
by Victor W. Von Hagen. B&W illustrations by Alberto Beltran. B&W photo section. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1960 Mentor-NAL paperback, 9th printing. Light edewear with light tanning. Content: A history of the Mayas and their resplendent civilization that grew out of the jungles and wastelands of Central America. Archaeology reveals the wonders of Maya art and architecture and the enigma of their calendar and hieroglyphic writings. Obviously, some of the information in this book is now dated, but it is a classic in Maya history and is worth the read. [1 copy available]
$ 2.50 + shipping

WORLD OF THE MAYA
by Victor W. Von Hagen. B&W illustrations by Alberto Beltran. B&W photo section. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1960 Mentor-NAL paperback, 9th printing. Light edewear with light tanning. Content: A history of the Mayas and their resplendent civilization that grew out of the jungles and wastelands of Central America. Archaeology reveals the wonders of Maya art and architecture and the enigma of their calendar and hieroglyphic writings. Obviously, some of the information in this book is now dated, but it is a classic in Maya history and is worth the read. [2 copies available]
$ 2.50 + shipping [media mail USA]