Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice

Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice provides a nuanced introduction to the archaeology of Mesoamerica. Offering an alternative to traditional textbooks, this volume places the reader in the middle of contemporary debates among top archaeologists actively exploring the major prehispanic societies of Mexico and Central America. Rather than attempt a single synthesis of current archaeology from the region, the text focuses on key time periods, sites, and the issues these times and places require us to confront. Mesoamerican Archaeology examines key moments in the Mesoamerican historical tradition, from the earliest villages where Olmec art flourished, to the Aztec and Maya City-states that Spanish invaders described in the sixteenth century. Taken together, these writings engage the chronological benchmarks of Pre-Columbian social development in Mesoamerica, such as the transition to village life, emergence of political stratification, and formation of Mesoamerican urban centers. The book is further enriched by an extensive editorial introduction, which situates contemporary Mesoamerican archaeology in the broader terms of the social politics of archaeology. For further resources to use with this book - including study questions, maps and photographs - visit the website at www.blackwellpublishing.com/BSGA/mesoam