Ancient Peoples and Places
4 total works
This edition has been enlarged and entirely revised. Professor Coe places new emphasis on the pre-classic period and an additional chapter highlights evidence for overpopulation and deforestation as the prime causes of the catastrophic southern Maya collapse in the 9th century AD. However, the focus remains upon the classic period, with its magnificent art and architecture. In a new final chapter Professor Coe pays tribute to the six million or more contemporary Maya, guardians of so many of the ancient traditions. Michael D. Coe's many other books include "Breaking the Maya Code" (Thames and Hudson, 1992).
The ancient city of Angkor in Cambodia has fascinated scholars and visitors alike since its rediscovery in the mid-19th century. All are wonderstruck by the beauty and multiplicity of the sculptures that adorn its temples and structures and are overwhelmed by the sheer size of Angkor. There is nothing to equal it in the archaeological world.
A great deal was already known about the history of Angkor and the brilliant Khmer civilization that built it thanks to pioneering work by archaeologists and scholars, but our knowledge has now been completely revolutionized by cutting-edge technology. Airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) has revealed entire cities that were previously unknown and a complex urban landscape with highways and waterways, profoundly transforming our interpretations of the development and supposed decline of Angkor. In this comprehensively updated edition of Angkor and the Khmer Civilization, respected archaeologist Michael Coe is joined by Damian Evans, who led this remarkable programme of scientific exploration, to present for the first time in book form the results and implications of these ground-breaking discoveries that are rewriting history.
A great deal was already known about the history of Angkor and the brilliant Khmer civilization that built it thanks to pioneering work by archaeologists and scholars, but our knowledge has now been completely revolutionized by cutting-edge technology. Airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) has revealed entire cities that were previously unknown and a complex urban landscape with highways and waterways, profoundly transforming our interpretations of the development and supposed decline of Angkor. In this comprehensively updated edition of Angkor and the Khmer Civilization, respected archaeologist Michael Coe is joined by Damian Evans, who led this remarkable programme of scientific exploration, to present for the first time in book form the results and implications of these ground-breaking discoveries that are rewriting history.
An introduction to Mexico's ancient civilizations. This companion volume to the author's book "The Maya" has been completely revised and expanded. Enlarged sections are included on early village life and the rise of Olmec civilization. Recent discoveries - such as the stela from La Mojarra inscribed in the mysterious Isthmian script or the mass sacrifice of 200 victims at Teotihuacan - receive full coverage. A new chapter on Aztec life and society has also been added. Despite the Spanish Conquest and ensuing epidemics, the natives of Mexico survived through the Colonial period. Describing their struggle in a new epilogue, the author shows how much the character of modern Mexico derives from its Pre-Colombian past. Other work by the author includes "Breaking the Maya Code".
The Maya has long been established as the best, most readable introduction to the New Worlds greatest ancient civilization. In these pages, Professor Coe distils a lifetimes scholarship for the general reader and student. The eighth edition incorporates the latest archaeological and epigraphic research, which continues to proceed at a fast pace. Among the finest new discoveries are the spectacular polychrome murals of Calakmul, which provide archaeological evidence for the importance of marketplaces in the Classic Maya cities as well as giving a unique glimpse into Maya daily life. It concludes with new historical evidence for the crucial role played by collaborationist native leaders, both Maya and non-Maya, in the Spanish conquest of the region.