The Archaeology of Mesoamerican Animals

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Author :
Publisher : Lockwood Press
ISBN 13 : 1937040151
Total Pages : 809 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (37 download)

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Book Synopsis The Archaeology of Mesoamerican Animals by : Kitty F. Emery

Download or read book The Archaeology of Mesoamerican Animals written by Kitty F. Emery and published by Lockwood Press. This book was released on 2013-11-15 with total page 809 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recognition of the role of animals in ancient diet, economy, politics, and ritual is vital to understanding ancient cultures fully, while following the clues available from animal remains in reconstructing environments is vital to understanding the ancient relationship between humans and the world around them. In response to the growing interest in the field of zooarchaeology, this volume presents current research from across the many cultures and regions of Mesoamerica, dealing specifically with the most current issues in zooarchaeological literature. Geographically, the essays collected here index the different aspects of animal use by the indigenous populations of the entire area between the northern borders of Mexico and the southern borders of lower Central America. This includes such diverse cultures as the north Mexican hunter-gatherers, the Olmec, Maya, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Central American Indians. The time frame of the volume extends from the earliest human occupation, the Preclassic, Classic, Postclassic, and Colonial manifestations, to recent times. The book's chapters, written by experts in the field of Mesoamerican zooarchaeology, provide important general background on the domestic and ritual use of animals in early and classic Mesoamerica and Central America, but deal also with special aspects of human-animal relationships such as early domestication and symbolism of animals, and important yet otherwise poorly represented aspects of taphonomy and zooarchaeological methodology. Spanish-language version also available (ISBN 978-1-937040-12-3).

Birds and Beasts of Ancient Mesoamerica

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Author :
Publisher : University Press of Colorado
ISBN 13 : 1646424611
Total Pages : 441 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (464 download)

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Book Synopsis Birds and Beasts of Ancient Mesoamerica by : Susan Milbrath

Download or read book Birds and Beasts of Ancient Mesoamerica written by Susan Milbrath and published by University Press of Colorado. This book was released on 2023-12-15 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Birds and Beasts of Ancient Mesoamerica links Precolumbian animal imagery with scientific data related to animal morphology and behavior, providing in-depth studies of the symbolic importance of animals and birds in Postclassic period Mesoamerica. Representations of animal deities in Mesoamerica can be traced back at least to Middle Preclassic Olmec murals, stone carvings, and portable art such as lapidary work and ceramics. Throughout the history of Mesoamerica real animals were merged with fantastical creatures, creating zoological oddities not unlike medieval European bestiaries. According to Spanish chroniclers, the Aztec emperor was known to keep exotic animals in royal aviaries and zoos. The Postclassic period was characterized by an iconography that was shared from central Mexico to the Yucatan peninsula and south to Belize. In addition to highlighting the symbolic importance of nonhuman creatures in general, the volume focuses on the importance of the calendrical and astronomical symbolism associated with animals and birds. Inspired by and dedicated to the work of Mesoamerican scholar Cecelia Klein and featuring imagery from painted books, monumental sculpture, portable arts, and archaeological evidence from the field of zooarchaeology, Birds and Beasts of Ancient Mesoamerica highlights the significance of the animal world in Postclassic and early colonial Mesoamerica. It will be important to students and scholars studying Mesoamerican art history, archaeology, ethnohistory, and zoology.

Mesoamerican Archaeology

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Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 111916091X
Total Pages : 432 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (191 download)

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Book Synopsis Mesoamerican Archaeology by : Julia A. Hendon

Download or read book Mesoamerican Archaeology written by Julia A. Hendon and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2021-04-09 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique and wide-ranging introduction to the major prehispanic and colonial societies of Mexico and Central America, featuring new and revised material throughout Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice, Second Edition, provides readers with a diverse and well-balanced view of the archaeology of the indigenous societies of Mexico and Central America, helping students better understand key concepts and engage with contemporary debates and issues within the field. The fully updated second edition incorporates contemporary research that reflects new approaches and trends in Mesoamerican archaeology. New and revised chapters from first-time and returning authors cover the archaeology of Mesoamerican cultural history, from the early Gulf Coast Olmec, to the Classic and Postclassic Maya, to the cultures of Oaxaca and Central Mexico before and after colonization. Presenting a wide range of approaches that illustrate political, socio-economic, and symbolic interpretations, this textbook: Encourages students to consider diverse ways of thinking about Mesoamerica: as a linguistic area, as a geographic region, and as a network of communities of practice Represents a wide spectrum of perspectives and approaches to Mesoamerican archaeology, including coverage of the Postclassic and Colonial periods Enables readers to think critically about how explanations of the past are produced, verified, and debated Includes accessible introductory material to ensure that students and non-specialists understand the chronological and geographic frameworks of the Mesoamerican tradition Discusses recent developments in the contemporary theory and practice of Mesoamerican archaeology Presents new and original research by a team of internationally recognized contributors Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice, Second Edition, is ideal for use in undergraduate courses on the archaeology of Mexico and Central America, as well as for broader courses on the archaeology of the Americas.

Precolumbian Flora and Fauna

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Author :
Publisher : University of Washington Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 164 pages
Book Rating : 4.A/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Precolumbian Flora and Fauna by : Jeanette Favrot Peterson

Download or read book Precolumbian Flora and Fauna written by Jeanette Favrot Peterson and published by University of Washington Press. This book was released on 1990 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Gardens of Prehistory

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Author :
Publisher : University of Alabama Press
ISBN 13 : 0817305653
Total Pages : 353 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (173 download)

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Book Synopsis Gardens of Prehistory by : Thomas W. Killion

Download or read book Gardens of Prehistory written by Thomas W. Killion and published by University of Alabama Press. This book was released on 1992-09-30 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gardens of Prehistory details the social developments that were created by the prehistoric agricultural systems of the New World.

The Archaeology of Animals

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Author :
Publisher : Yale University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780300063059
Total Pages : 228 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (63 download)

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Book Synopsis The Archaeology of Animals by : Simon J. M. Davis

Download or read book The Archaeology of Animals written by Simon J. M. Davis and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 1987-01-01 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first section of the book describes how zoo-archaeologists go about studying faunal remains from archaeological sites, and to explore the nature of these remains, and some of the information they provide. The second part discusses the relationship between humans and animals from earliest Africa to post-Medieval Britain. The latter can, of course, not be a complete survey; instead it sets out to describe some of the types of relationship that have existed throughout history, and the material consequences of those behaviours in the archaeological record. Helpful bibliography. `One of the most lucid expositions on archaeozoology available' New Scientist.

Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya

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Author :
Publisher : University of Texas Press
ISBN 13 : 9780292777606
Total Pages : 380 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (776 download)

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Book Synopsis Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya by : Victoria Schlesinger

Download or read book Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya written by Victoria Schlesinger and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A growing interest in all things Maya brings an increasing number of visitors to prehistoric Maya ruins and contemporary Maya communities in Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, western Honduras, the Yucatán Peninsula, and the southern areas of Chiapas and Tabasco, Mexico. For these visitors and indeed everyone with an interest in the Maya, this field guide highlights nearly 100 species of plants and animals that were significant to the ancient Maya and that continue to inhabit the Maya region today. Drawing from the disciplines of biology, ecology, and anthropology, Victoria Schlesinger describes each plant or animal's habitat and natural history, identifying characteristics (also shown in a black-and-white drawing), and cultural significance to the ancient and contemporary Maya. An introductory section explains how to use the book and offers a concise overview of the history, lifeways, and cosmology of the ancient Maya. The concluding section describes the collapse of ancient Maya society and briefly traces the history of the Maya region from colonial times to the present.

Animals and their Relation to Gods, Humans and Things in the Ancient World

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Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3658243880
Total Pages : 487 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (582 download)

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Book Synopsis Animals and their Relation to Gods, Humans and Things in the Ancient World by : Raija Mattila

Download or read book Animals and their Relation to Gods, Humans and Things in the Ancient World written by Raija Mattila and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-03-11 with total page 487 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While Human-Animal Studies is a rapidly growing field in modern history, studies on this topic that focus on the Ancient World are few. The present volume aims at closing this gap. It investigates the relation between humans, animals, gods, and things with a special focus on the structure of these categories. An improved understanding of the ancient categories themselves is a precondition for any investigation into the relation between them. The focus of the volume lies on the Ancient Near East, but it also provides studies on Ancient Greece, Asia Minor, Mesoamerica, the Far East, and Arabia.

Night and Darkness in Ancient Mesoamerica

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Author :
Publisher : University Press of Colorado
ISBN 13 : 1646421876
Total Pages : 370 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (464 download)

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Book Synopsis Night and Darkness in Ancient Mesoamerica by : Nancy Gonlin

Download or read book Night and Darkness in Ancient Mesoamerica written by Nancy Gonlin and published by University Press of Colorado. This book was released on 2021-12-01 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Night and Darkness in Ancient Mesoamerica is the first volume to explicitly incorporate how nocturnal aspects of the natural world were imbued with deep cultural meanings and expressed by different peoples from various time periods in Mexico and Central America. Material culture, iconography, epigraphy, art history, ethnohistory, ethnographies, and anthropological theory are deftly used to illuminate dimensions of darkness and the night that are often neglected in reconstructions of the past. The anthropological study of night and darkness enriches and strengthens the understanding of human behavior, power, economy, and the supernatural. In eleven case studies featuring the residents of Teotihuacan, the Classic period Maya, inhabitants of Rio Ulúa, and the Aztecs, the authors challenge archaeologists to consider the influence of the ignored dimension of the night and the role and expression of darkness on ancient behavior. Chapters examine the significance of eclipses, burials, tombs, and natural phenomena considered to be portals to the underworld; animals hunted at twilight; the use and ritual meaning of blindfolds; night-blooming plants; nocturnal foodways; fuel sources and lighting technology; and other connected practices. Night and Darkness in Ancient Mesoamerica expands the scope of published research and media on the archaeology of the night. The book will be of interest to those who study the humanistic, anthropological, and archaeological aspects of the Aztec, Maya, Teotihuacanos, and southeastern Mesoamericans, as well as sensory archaeology, art history, material culture studies, anthropological archaeology, paleonutrition, socioeconomics, sociopolitics, epigraphy, mortuary studies, volcanology, and paleoethnobotany. Contributors: Jeremy Coltman, Christine Dixon, Rachel Egan, Kirby Farah, Carolyn Freiwald, Nancy Gonlin, Julia Hendon, Cecelia Klein, Jeanne Lopiparo, Brian McKee, Jan Marie Olson, David M. Reed, Payson Sheets, Venicia Slotten, Michael Thomason, Randolph Widmer, W. Scott Zeleznik

Maya Zooarchaeology

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Author :
Publisher : Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press
ISBN 13 : 1938770730
Total Pages : 329 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (387 download)

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Book Synopsis Maya Zooarchaeology by : Kitty F. Emery

Download or read book Maya Zooarchaeology written by Kitty F. Emery and published by Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. This book was released on 2004-12-31 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive work, combining traditional zooarchaeological reports and various state-of-the-art summaries of methods and theoretical perspectives. This combination of detailed discussions of basic zooarchaeological data with reviews of important themes in Maya zooarchaeology emphasizes the central issues that guide our research from basic data collection through final comparative interpretation. The chapters emphasize the newest developments in technical methods, the most recent trends in the analysis of "social zooarchaeology," and the broadening perspectives provided by a new geographic range of investigations. The main focus of the volume remains on fostering cooperation among Mesoamerican zooarchaeologists at the levels of both preliminary analysis and final theoretical reconstruction.

Ethnozooarchaeology

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Author :
Publisher : Oxbow Books Limited
ISBN 13 : 9781842179970
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (799 download)

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Book Synopsis Ethnozooarchaeology by : Umberto Albarella

Download or read book Ethnozooarchaeology written by Umberto Albarella and published by Oxbow Books Limited. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines how the study of human-animal relations can help us interpret archaeological evidence. An international range of contributors examines fishing, hunting and husbandry, slaughtering and butchering, ceremonial and ritual practices and techniques of deposition and disposal in traditional societies. Topics covered include the theoretical potential of ethnographic research for zooarchaeology, the use of comparative analogies in the ethnographic and zooarchaeological records, the historical developments of ethnozooarchaeology and specific case studies selected from across the world. This broad geographic approach encompasses examples from different types of societies, ranging from hunter-gatherers to urban populations and from horticulturalists to traditional farmers and pastoralists. This book will be of interest to researchers in a range of fields, including anthropology, ethnohistory and zooarchaeology.

Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands

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Author :
Publisher : University Press of Colorado
ISBN 13 : 1607329956
Total Pages : 419 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (73 download)

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Book Synopsis Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands by : Brigitte Faugère

Download or read book Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands written by Brigitte Faugère and published by University Press of Colorado. This book was released on 2020-02-15 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands, Latin American, North American, and European researchers explore the meanings and functions of two- and three-dimensional human representations in the Precolumbian communities of the Mexican highlands. Reading these anthropomorphic representations from an ontological perspective, the contributors demonstrate the rich potential of anthropomorphic imagery to elucidate personhood, conceptions of the body, and the relationship of human beings to other entities, nature, and the cosmos. Using case studies covering a broad span of highlands prehistory—Classic Teotihuacan divine iconography, ceramic figures in Late Formative West Mexico, Epiclassic Puebla-Tlaxcala costumed figurines, earth sculptures in Prehispanic Oaxaca, Early Postclassic Tula symbolic burials, Late Postclassic representations of Aztec Kings, and more—contributors examine both Mesoamerican representations of the body in changing social, political, and economic conditions and the multivalent emic meanings of these representations. They explore the technology of artifact production, the body’s place in social structures and rituals, the language of the body as expressed in postures and gestures, hybrid and transformative combinations of human and animal bodies, bodily representations of social categories, body modification, and the significance of portable and fixed representations. Anthropomorphic Imagery in the Mesoamerican Highlands provides a wide range of insights into Mesoamerican concepts of personhood and identity, the constitution of the human body, and human relationships with gods and ancestors. It will be of great value to students and scholars of the archaeology and art history of Mexico. Contributors: Claire Billard, Danièle Dehouve, Cynthia Kristan-Graham, Melissa Logan, Sylvie Peperstraete, Patricia Plunket, Mari Carmen Serra Puche, Juliette Testard, Andrew Turner, Gabriela Uruñuela, Marcus Winter

Animals and the Maya in Southeast Mexico

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Author :
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
ISBN 13 : 0816551103
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (165 download)

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Book Synopsis Animals and the Maya in Southeast Mexico by : E. N. Anderson

Download or read book Animals and the Maya in Southeast Mexico written by E. N. Anderson and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2022-09-13 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Mexico’s southeastern frontier state of Quintana Roo, game animals and other creatures that depend on old-growth forest are disappearing in the face of habitat destruction and overhunting. Traditionally, the Yucatec Maya have regarded animals as fellow members of a wider society, and in their religion animals enjoy the status of spiritual beings. But in recent years, the breakdown of cultural restraints on hunting has spiraled so far out of control that almost everything edible within easy reach of a road has become fair game. This book combines the insights of an anthropologist with the hands-on experience of a Maya campesino with the aim of improving the management of Quintana Roo’s wild lands and animal resources. E. N. Anderson and Felix Medina Tzuc pool their knowledge to document Yucatec Maya understanding and use of animals and to address practical matters related to wider conservation issues. Although the Yucatec Maya’s ethnobotany has been well documented, until now little has been recorded about their animal lore. Anderson and Medina Tzuc have compiled a wealth of information about traditional knowledge of animals in this corner of the Maya world. They have recorded most of the terms widely used for several hundred categories of animals in west central Quintana Roo, mapped them onto biological categories, and recorded basic information about wildlife management and uses. The book reflects a wealth of knowledge gathered from individuals regarded as experts on particular aspects of animal management, whether hunting, herding, or beekeeping. It also offers case studies of conservation successes and failures in various communities, pointing to the need for cooperation by the Mexican government and Maya people to save wildlife. Appendixes provide an extensive animal classification and a complete list of all birds identified in the area. Even though sustainable forestry has finally come to the Yucatán, sustainable game use is practiced by only a few communities. Animals and the Maya in Southeast Mexico is a complete ethnozoology for the region, offered in the hope that it will encourage the recognition of Quintana Roo’s forests and wildlife as no less deserving of protection than ancient Maya cities.

Mesoamerican Figurines

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Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780813036878
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (368 download)

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Book Synopsis Mesoamerican Figurines by : Christina T. Halperin

Download or read book Mesoamerican Figurines written by Christina T. Halperin and published by . This book was released on 2011-03 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines figurines from the Olmec to the Aztec civilizations. This book also analyzes these objects by their stylistic attributes, archaeological content, function.

Mesoamerican Archaeology

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Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 111916088X
Total Pages : 436 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (191 download)

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Book Synopsis Mesoamerican Archaeology by : Julia A. Hendon

Download or read book Mesoamerican Archaeology written by Julia A. Hendon and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2021-03-30 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique and wide-ranging introduction to the major prehispanic and colonial societies of Mexico and Central America, featuring new and revised material throughout Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice, Second Edition, provides readers with a diverse and well-balanced view of the archaeology of the indigenous societies of Mexico and Central America, helping students better understand key concepts and engage with contemporary debates and issues within the field. The fully updated second edition incorporates contemporary research that reflects new approaches and trends in Mesoamerican archaeology. New and revised chapters from first-time and returning authors cover the archaeology of Mesoamerican cultural history, from the early Gulf Coast Olmec, to the Classic and Postclassic Maya, to the cultures of Oaxaca and Central Mexico before and after colonization. Presenting a wide range of approaches that illustrate political, socio-economic, and symbolic interpretations, this textbook: Encourages students to consider diverse ways of thinking about Mesoamerica: as a linguistic area, as a geographic region, and as a network of communities of practice Represents a wide spectrum of perspectives and approaches to Mesoamerican archaeology, including coverage of the Postclassic and Colonial periods Enables readers to think critically about how explanations of the past are produced, verified, and debated Includes accessible introductory material to ensure that students and non-specialists understand the chronological and geographic frameworks of the Mesoamerican tradition Discusses recent developments in the contemporary theory and practice of Mesoamerican archaeology Presents new and original research by a team of internationally recognized contributors Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice, Second Edition, is ideal for use in undergraduate courses on the archaeology of Mexico and Central America, as well as for broader courses on the archaeology of the Americas.

The Lost City of the Monkey God

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Author :
Publisher : Grand Central Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1455540021
Total Pages : 304 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (555 download)

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Book Synopsis The Lost City of the Monkey God by : Douglas Preston

Download or read book The Lost City of the Monkey God written by Douglas Preston and published by Grand Central Publishing. This book was released on 2017-01-03 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NAMED A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2017#1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller! A five-hundred-year-old legend. An ancient curse. A stunning medical mystery. And a pioneering journey into the unknown heart of the world's densest jungle. Since the days of conquistador Hernán Cortés, rumors have circulated about a lost city of immense wealth hidden somewhere in the Honduran interior, called the White City or the Lost City of the Monkey God. Indigenous tribes speak of ancestors who fled there to escape the Spanish invaders, and they warn that anyone who enters this sacred city will fall ill and die. In 1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the rainforest with hundreds of artifacts and an electrifying story of having found the Lost City of the Monkey God-but then committed suicide without revealing its location. Three quarters of a century later, bestselling author Doug Preston joined a team of scientists on a groundbreaking new quest. In 2012 he climbed aboard a rickety, single-engine plane carrying the machine that would change everything: lidar, a highly advanced, classified technology that could map the terrain under the densest rainforest canopy. In an unexplored valley ringed by steep mountains, that flight revealed the unmistakable image of a sprawling metropolis, tantalizing evidence of not just an undiscovered city but an enigmatic, lost civilization. Venturing into this raw, treacherous, but breathtakingly beautiful wilderness to confirm the discovery, Preston and the team battled torrential rains, quickmud, disease-carrying insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes. But it wasn't until they returned that tragedy struck: Preston and others found they had contracted in the ruins a horrifying, sometimes lethal-and incurable-disease. Suspenseful and shocking, filled with colorful history, hair-raising adventure, and dramatic twists of fortune, THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD is the absolutely true, eyewitness account of one of the great discoveries of the twenty-first century.

Pre-Columbian Foodways

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Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1441904719
Total Pages : 691 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (419 download)

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Book Synopsis Pre-Columbian Foodways by : John Staller

Download or read book Pre-Columbian Foodways written by John Staller and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-11-24 with total page 691 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The significance of food and feasting to Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures has been extensively studied by archaeologists, anthropologists and art historians. Foodways studies have been critical to our understanding of early agriculture, political economies, and the domestication and management of plants and animals. Scholars from diverse fields have explored the symbolic complexity of food and its preparation, as well as the social importance of feasting in contemporary and historical societies. This book unites these disciplinary perspectives — from the social and biological sciences to art history and epigraphy — creating a work comprehensive in scope, which reveals our increasing understanding of the various roles of foods and cuisines in Mesoamerican cultures. The volume is organized thematically into three sections. Part 1 gives an overview of food and feasting practices as well as ancient economies in Mesoamerica. Part 2 details ethnographic, epigraphic and isotopic evidence of these practices. Finally, Part 3 presents the metaphoric value of food in Mesoamerican symbolism, ritual, and mythology. The resulting volume provides a thorough, interdisciplinary resource for understanding, food, feasting, and cultural practices in Mesoamerica.