Ancient Mesoamerica: A Comparison of Change in Three RegionsMesoamerica has become one of the world's most important areas for research into the emergence of complex human societies. Between 10,000 years ago and the arrival of the Spanish in 1521, some of the most significant changes in the evolution of human societies occurred. These included the emergence of agriculture and sedentary villages, the growth of centralized governments (chiefdoms and states), and the rise of market systems, cities, and highly stratified social systems. In the 1970s and 1980s a number of ambitious research efforts produced exciting data on culture change in Mesoamerica. In this revised and updated 1993 edition of a book first published in 1981, the authors present a synthesis of Mesoamerican prehistory, focusing on three of its most intensively studied regions, the Valleys of Oaxaca and Mexico and the Maya lowlands. An original framework of ideas is developed to explain long-term change in complex societies. |
Contents
XII | 8 |
XIII | 13 |
XIV | 18 |
XV | 19 |
XVI | 23 |
XVII | 27 |
XVIII | 28 |
XIX | 30 |
XX | 31 |
XXI | 35 |
XXII | 37 |
XXIII | 39 |
XXIV | 40 |
XXV | 41 |
XXVI | 43 |
XXVII | 45 |
XXVIII | 50 |
XXIX | 55 |
XXX | 61 |
XXXI | 66 |
XXXII | 69 |
XXXIII | 77 |
XXXIV | 82 |
XXXV | 87 |
XXXVI | 91 |
XXXVII | 96 |
XXXVIII | 99 |
XXXIX | 103 |
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Common terms and phrases
administrative agricultural archaeological Archaic period architecture Aztec phase Belize Bernal Blanton boundaries buildings capital centers central ceramic CEREMONIAL PRECINCT Classic Period complex discussed Early eastern lowlands economic elite Etla evidence excavations exchange Feinman groups hierarchy highlands households human IIIA IIIB important increased institutions integration interaction Kowalewski LAKE LAKE CHALCO LAKE TEXCOCO LAKE XALTOCAN larger Late Aztec Late Classic Late Postclassic levels located MacNeish macroregional Main Plaza maize major market systems Maya Mayapán Mesoamerica meters Middle Horizon Millon Monte Albán obsidian Olmec Paleo-Indian Patlachique Petén piedmont plant political pottery Preclassic prehispanic production regional residential ritual San José Mogote San José phase Sanders Santley scale settlement pattern SIERRA social systems societies southern square kilometers strategies structures studies suggest survey Tehuacán Tehuacán Valley Teotihuacan territory TEXCOCO TEZOYUCA Ticoman Tierras Largas Tikal tion Tula Uaxactún Valley of Mexico Valley of Oaxaca valley's Yucatan zone