Historical Dictionary of MesoamericaMesoamerica is one of six major areas of the world where humans independently changed their culture from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle into settled communities, cities, and civilization. In addition to China (twice), the Indus Valley, the Fertile Crescent of southwest Asia, Egypt, and Peru, Mesoamerica was home to exciting and irreversible changes in human culture called the "Neolithic Revolution." The changes included domestication of plants and animals, leading to agriculture, husbandry, and eventually sedentary village life. These developments set the stage for the growth of cities, social stratification, craft specialization, warfare, writing, mathematics, and astronomy, or what we call the rise of civilization. These changes forever transformed humankind. The Historical Dictionary of Mesoamerica covers the history of Mesoamerica through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 900 cross-referenced dictionary entries covering the major peoples, places, ideas, and events related to Mesoamerica. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Mesoamerica. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
A | 11 |
B | 37 |
C | 49 |
D | 113 |
E | 125 |
F | 135 |
G | 141 |
P | 239 |
Q | 259 |
R | 265 |
S | 273 |
T | 293 |
U | 333 |
V | 343 |
W | 345 |
H | 147 |
I | 153 |
J | 161 |
K | 167 |
L | 179 |
M | 191 |
N | 219 |
O | 231 |
X | 349 |
Y | 353 |
Z | 361 |
Research Institutions | 363 |
Bibliography | 369 |
About the Authors | 415 |
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Common terms and phrases
Ahaw Altar ancient Maya archaeological archaeologists architecture Aztec B’ahlam ball court Basin of Mexico Belize buildings Calakmul calendar Caracol carved caves Central Mexico ceramic ceremonial Chaak Chan K’awiil Chiapanec Chiapas Chichén Itzá circa Classic Maya Collapse coast Cobá Cocom codices complex Copán culture deities Early Classic period emblem glyph excavated Guatemala hieroglyphic historical Honduras inscriptions Jaguar K’ak K’an k’atun k’atun-ending K’inich kilometers king known Late Classic Late Formative period Late Postclassic period Long Count dates maize Maya area Maya cities Maya lowlands Maya region Mayapán Mesoamerica meters Mexican Middle Formative period Mixtec modern monuments Náhuatl Nakbé Naranjo northern Oaxaca Olmec Palenque Petén Piedras Negras Pilas plaza Popol Vuh Puuc pyramid Quiché Quiriguá ritual ruled RULERS sacbé Salvador sculptures Serpent stelae stone structures style Temple temple-pyramids Tenochtitlán Teotihuacán Terminal Classic period Texcoco Tikal Toltec tomb TONINÁ Uaxactún Uxmal Veracruz Ware YAXCHILÁN Yucatán Yuknoom