Selected Product: | Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs, Sixth Edition (Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs) Paperback Edition: 6 Author: Michael D. Coe, Rex Koontz Publisher: Thames & Hudson Release Date: 2008-09-08 ISBN-10: 0500287554 ISBN-13: 9780500287552 List Price: $24.95 Average Customer Rating: | | An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya ISBN-10: 0500279284 ISBN-13: 9780500279281 List Price:$19.95 Art of the Andes: From Chavin to Inca (World of Art) ISBN-10: 0500203636 ISBN-13: 9780500203637 List Price:$18.95 Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of ISBN-10: 0684818450 ISBN-13: 9780684818450 List Price:$16.00 The Maya, Seventh Edition (Ancient Peoples and Places) ISBN-10: 0500285055 ISBN-13: 9780500285053 List Price:$22.50 The Ancient Maya, 6th Edition ISBN-10: 0804748179 ISBN-13: 9780804748179 List Price:$36.95 |
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Michael D. Coe's Mexico has long been recognized as the most readable and authoritative introduction to the region's ancient civilizations. This companion to his best-selling The Maya has now been completely revised by Professor Coe and Rex Koontz.
The sixth edition includes new developments in the birth of agriculture and writing, both of which were independently invented here. Fresh insights into the metropolis of Teotihuacan reveal a world of palaces and warrior cults brought down by social revolts. A spectacular new find in the center of the Aztec capital, just unearthed, gives us a privileged glimpse into the funerary rites of the most powerful monarch in North America at the time. 181 illustrations, 20 in color. Just wondering..... | Customer Rating: | Just wondering why a rebuttal to the pro-"La Raza" racism found in the previous posts was deleted while Miguel's anti-Christian rhetoric is allowed to stand. I have a whole lot of Mexican brothers and sisters who are proud of who they are without throwing whitey (and Jesus) in the dirt.
PC at its best, I suppose. Never mind my order. I can find it cheaper at Wal-Mart. | great book | Customer Rating: | | this is a great book, lots of detailed photos. i am reading this book for a chicano studies class and its a bit hard to read at times. | Great Overview | Customer Rating: | | I have been reading books on pre-Columbian America for over 20 years, and Michael Coe's titles have always been amongst my favorites. He has not dissappointed me this time either. This book is a great summary of what is known, to date, about pre-hispanic Meso America. Good reading, good archeology. | Must have book on Mexican Archeology | Customer Rating: | | This is a simple and easy to use reference to the archeological history of Mexico. Simply laid out with lots of examples. Good book. | Very Informative! | Customer Rating: | Manuel's review of this book is excellent - I couldn't have written it any better! However, here's my two-cents worth:
This book is a must read for anyone who lacks basic knowledge of the ancient Mexican cultures. It provides the reader with brief (and in some cases, more than brief) summaries of several of the various cultural groups that existed, covering geographic, cultural, agricultural, religious, architectural and political backgrounds. It has timelines and drawn maps to aid the reader's temporal and geographical orientation. It contains many illustrations and photographs of artifacts found, temples, statues...etc. excavated. It even includes a brief section and tips on visiting Mexico.
The only gripe I have with this book is that it provides you with a lot of information on some cultures, such as the Aztecs and Toltecs and leaves you with insufficient info on other cultures mentioned, such as the Totonacs. However, this is probably because what archeologists have unearthed of Mesoamerica is only a tiny fraction of what actually existed, i.e. the less than brief information on some of the cultural groups mentioned in this book is probably due to archeologists not having unearthed enough remnants of the existence of these cultures/not being able to fully interpret or place what they have found to date. I'm sure Coe would have provided more info if there was more in-depth info, though in the case of the Maya, there is simply too much information to be made known and hence, rather than trying to simplify everything into one chapter, a whole, separate book has been dedicated to that group.
To make up for this lack of info on some groups, Coe provides us with pictures of artifacts found, as in the section on the Olmecs, and illustrations and descriptions of their distinctive artistic/architectural style and states the likelihood of the origination of these styles and what they probably signified. I must admit that I found the more than just brief descriptions/concentrations on the artistic styles/pottery work/architectural preferences...etc. of some of the lesser-known groups a little annoying, for I am not an art/archeology student and was looking for info more on the way of life, beliefs...etc. than on their pottery and carving skills and architectural styles. Nonetheless, I am grateful that these were brought to the reader's attention rather than nothing at all mentioned.
I enjoyed this book as a kick-start to my growing interest in ancient Mexican and Andean cultures and think that it makes a good quick-reference book. At least now I have an idea/starting point of some of the ancient Mexican groups. One should read this book keeping in mind that a lot about ancient Mexico has yet to be discovered and will never be discovered (afterall, a majority of the remnants of these cultures were destroyed by conquering forces) and thus, should be thankful for whatever is divulged in this book. |
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