Discover all about the everyday lives of early American peoples by investigating in turn the lost civilizations of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca peoples and the enduring Arctic and Native American Indian cultures of the North.
Discover all about the everyday lives of early American peoples by investigating in turn the lost civilizations of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca peoples and the enduring Arctic and Native American Indian cultures of the North.
This reference is devoted to the pre-Columbian archaeology of the Mesoamerican culture area, one of the six cradles of early civilization. It features in-depth articles on the major cultural areas of ancient Mexico and Central America; coverage of important sites, including the world-renowned discoveries as well as many lesser-known locations; articles on day-to-day life of ancient peoples in these regions; and several bandw regional and site maps and photographs. Entries are arranged alphabetically and cover introductory archaeological facts (flora, fauna, human growth and development, nonorganic resources), chronologies of various periods (Paleoindian, Archaic, Formative, Classic and Postclassic, and Colonial), cultural features, Maya, regional summaries, research methods and resources, ethnohistorical methods and sources, and scholars and research history. Edited by archaeologists Evans and Webster, both of whom are associated with Pennsylvania State University. c. Book News Inc.
Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya offers an A-to-Z overview of the ancient Maya culture from its inception around 3000 BC to the Spanish Conquest after AD 1600. Over two hundred entries written by more than sixty researchers explore subjects ranging from food, clothing, and shelter to the sophisticated calendar and now-deciphered Maya writing system. They bring special attention to environmental concerns and climate variation; fresh understandings of shifting power dynamics and dynasties; and the revelations from emerging field techniques (such as LiDAR remote sensing) and newly explored sites (such as La Corona, Tamchen, and Yaxnohkah). This one-volume reference is an essential companion for students studying ancient civilizations, as well as a perfect resource for those planning to visit the Maya area. Cross-referencing, topical and alphabetical lists of entries, and a comprehensive index help readers find relevant details. Suggestions for further reading conclude each entry, while sidebars profile historical figures who have shaped Maya research. Maps highlight terrain, archaeological sites, language distribution, and more; over fifty photographs complement the volume.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient Giants in North America chronicles two distinct waves of giant humans migrating to North America. As early as 7,000 B.C., strange people arrived on the North American shores of gigantic size with Neanderthal looking skulls. Their spread across the American landscape is documented not only by their massive skeletons but by an identical material culture that was found buried with their remains. Double rows of teeth and skulls with protruding horns make them one of America's most intriguing mysteries. At the advent of the Bronze Age another migration of giant humans found their way to North America. A persistent legend exists with Native Americans of a people who came to trade and mine the copper from the Upper Great Lakes. They left an indelible mark upon the landscape of the Ohio Valley with their large burial mounds and earthworks aligned to solar, lunar and stellar events. The measurements of these works reveal that they were constructed with the knowledge of advanced mathematics. The discovery of giant humans in North America is the result of pouring through over 10,000 State, County and Township histories at one of the largest genealogical libraries in America. Hundreds of additional accounts were also found within newspaper archives. The result is the Largest Compilation of Giant Human Skeletons Discovered in North America in Print. 888 Human Giants Giants in 47 States Mass Graves of Ancient Dwarfs Fairies and Paranormal Activity at Burial Mounds and Earthworks Giant Mummies