The Art of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec"An essential guide to the art and architecture of ancient Central America."-Colonial Latin American Historical Review Mary Ellen Miller evocatively surveys the artistic achievements of the high Precolumbian civilizations-Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec-as well as those of their less well-known contemporaries. Their pyramids and palaces, jades and brightly colored paintings emerge from these pages as vividly as when they first astonished Cortes's men in 1519. The fourth edition of this standard work includes exciting new discoveries, from Palenque, Mexico, where architecture and sculpture reveal a dramatic eighth century, to San Bartolo, Guatemala, where Maya paintings have riveted an international audience. Continuing hieroglyphic decipherments provide fresh insights. The revised edition of the Art of Mesoamerica is the ideal companion for art historians, students, and travelers alike. 210 illustrations, 55 in color. |
Common terms and phrases
Acropolis ancient Mesoamerica archaeologists art and architecture artistic Aztec ballcourt ballgame Bonampak buildings captives carved Central Mexico ceramic ceremonial Chaak chacmool chamber Chichen Itza coast Codex colossal heads complex Conquest Copan Cortés Cotzumalhuapa culture deity depicted doorway Early Classic eighth century excavations façade face Feathered Serpent figures funerary glyphs Guatemala headdress highlands Huastec Huitzilopochtli human imagery inscriptions Izapa jade jaguar Kaminaljuyu king known La Venta Late Classic Late Formative later Lintel lords maize manuscript mask Maya cities Mesoamerican Mexican Mixtec Monte Alban monuments Motecuhzoma Mound niche Oaxaca Olmec paintings Palace Palenque perhaps Peten Piedras Negras plaza portrait Postclassic probably Puuc Pyramid Quetzalcoatl record region reveal ritual ruler sacrifice San Bartolo San Lorenzo sculpture shows shrines Spanish Stela stone structures stucco style supernatural Tajin Temple Tenochtitlan Teotihuacan three-dimensional throne Tikal Tlaloc Toltec tomb Tula Uaxactun Uxmal Venta Veracruz vessels wall warriors World Yaxchilan Yucatan Zapotecs