Product Description

Over 1,200 years ago, a magnificent civilization towered above the jungles of Central America and southern Mexico. The highly sophisticated people who inhabited this area had built elaborately carved temples and religious compounds, only to have their achievements disappear over the centuries, destroyed by foreign conquests, earthquakes, floods, and tropical overgrowth. This book, using as background the discoveries of nineteenth-century adventurers, describes the efforts of twentieth-century archeologists who excavated and restored a number of important sites to their former architectural splendor. Today, Mayan architecture attracts not only students of pre-Columbian civilization but also tourists, historians, and anthropologists. This book, through the author's own detailed illustrations, presents 36 sites as they appeared more than a thousand years ago. Facing the illustration of each structure is a documented text of archaelogical finds and a line drawing of existing remains. Among the sites depicted are the shrine in the Temple of the Cross at Palenque; the Acropolis and a Maya sweat bath in Piedras Negras, Guatemala; the hieroglyphic stairway, ball court, and reviewing stand in Copán, Honduras; The Palace at Sayil, Yucatán; The Palace of the Governors, in Uxmal; and The Red House and platforms on the north terrace at Chichén Itzá. Archaeological references and a map of the Maya area, showing the location of illustrated sites, complete this imaginative and well-executed study of ancient Mayan architecture. Unabridged republication of the edition published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C., 1946. Introduction. 95 illustrations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #515329 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780486424842
• Condition: USED - GOOD
• Notes:
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Customer Reviews

Outstanding Drawings
There are currently two versions of this beautiful book available that does a marvelous job of recreating the Maya world. The one entitled "An Album of Maya Architecture"(the other version has no An in the title) is published by Dover and is unabridged and is therefore a rebulication of the original published by the Carnegie Instition of Washington D.C. in 1946. This book is a labor of love by Tatiana Proskouriakoff whose excellent illustrations will and have stood the test of time. In the acknowledgement the author gives credit to all who made this project possible as there are several unpublished drawings and notes that were put at her disposal. Having visited the great temples of the Maya in Copan(Honduras), Guatemala and the Yucatan(Mexico) I can bear testament to their magnificent presence in the jungles. Buried for years in the jungles they have only "resurfaced" recently for archeologists to study and preserve for future generations. In this book the author takes the liberty of informing us of the uses of the various temples based on her extensive knowledge and field research. Since many of the building have deteriorated with the passing centuries,Tatiana Proskouriakoff mastefully recreates the buildings as they were, based on her studies. Her lively depiction of the famous Ball Court is in stark contrast to the actual court that is desolate with only tourists and the spirits of the skillfull atheletes who once graced the courts. The black and whilte illustrations are simple yet lavish in certain details. Each section or chapter comes complete with text explaining the visual and begins with an elaborate illustration of a particular part of the site in full rich detail.This is a beautiful book that anyone who is interested in the ancient Maya should have in their library. The author also suggests other books and works to compliment the study of the complex world of the mysterious Maya.

Beautiful drawings
A very nice and useful book.Throughout 29 plates Tania covers from Early Classic to Postclassic,from Uaxactun to Chichen-Itzá, showing many buildings and structures.According to her time,this Proskouriakoff's masterpiece displays highly accurated B&W drawings, plenty of details and suggestive forms, bringing to light Maya history not only from the jungle, but also from the obscurity of past. As the back cover says, her work combines "the imagination of an artist and the precision of a scientist". A great book by a great mayanist.

Excellent Drawings
If you are interested in Maya Architecture this is a must!
Great talent! Very accurate.