The Olmec Their Neighbors

Twenty-one papers on the Olmec were written for this volume in tribute to Matthew W. Stirling, "pioneer archaeologist, ethnologist, and the discoverer of the Olmec civilization."

The Olmecs are renowned for their massive carved stone heads and other sculptures, the first stone monuments produced in Mesoamerica. Seven decades of archaeological research have given us many insights into the lives of the Olmecs, who inhabited parts of the modern Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco from around 1150 to 400 BC. Beginning with the first modern explorations in the 1920s, the story of how generations of archaeologists and local residents have uncovered the Olmec past and pieced together a portrait of an ancient civilization that left no written records unfolds. From stories of fortuitous discoveries and frustrating disappoints, helpful collaborations and deceitful shenanigans emerges the unconventional history of Olmec archeology.

Did you know that the Olmecs might have been the first people to introduce writing? The first people that managed to elevate themselves to civilized life were the Olmecs. But why do they remain relatively unknown, hidden in the long and dark corridors of forgotten history? The truth is that few historians are ready to tackle the task of uncovering the true story of the Olmecs. And thus, it can be hard for readers to find an easy-to-read and cohesive resource on this fascinating civilization. But that is about to change. In this new captivating history book, you will discover the truth about the earliest known civilization in America. Olmecs: A Captivating Guide to the Earliest Known Major Ancient Civilization in Mexico includes: Revolutionary Findings Provided by Modern Archaeological Detective Techniques A Simple Explanation of Who the Olmecs Were and Where they Came From Fastinating Discoveries of Olmec Art Startling Theories About the Structure of Olmec Society and How They Interacted with Their Neighbors The Truth of Why the Olmecs Were So Rich and the Powerful Components to Their Success What There Is to Know About the Olmec Military Amazing Insights Into Everyday Life of the Olmecs Religion and Beliefs and How They Played an Essential Role in Olmec Society Remarkable Innovations of the Olmecs And much, much more! So if you want to learn more about the Olmecs, click "add to cart" now!

The Early Formative Olmec are central in a wide variety of debates regarding the development of Mesoamerican societies. A fundamental issue in Olmec archaeology is the nature of interregional interaction among contemporaneous societies and the possible Olmec role in it. Previous debates have often not been informed by recent research and data, often relying on materials lacking archaeological context. In order to approach these issues from new perspectives, this book introduces readers to the full spectrum of the material culture of the Olmec and their contemporaries, relying primarily on archaeological data, much of which has not been previously published. For the first time, using a standard lexicon to consider the nature of the interaction among Early Formative societies, the authors, experts in diverse regions of Mesoamerican art and archaeology, provide carefully considered contrasts and comparisons that advance the understanding of the Early Formative origins of social complexity in Mesoamerica.

Olmec Archaeology and Early Mesoamerica offers the most thorough and up-to-date book-length treatment of Olmec society and culture available.

Proceedings of the conference "The Origins of Maya States," held in Philadelphia, April 10-13, 2007.

The Bioarchaeology of Space and Place investigates variations in social identity among the ancient Maya by focusing on individuals and small groups identified archaeologically by their inclusion in specific, discrete mortuary contexts or by unusual mortuary treatments. Utilizing archaeological, biological and taphonomic data from these contexts, the studies employ a variety of methodological approaches to reconstruct aspects of individuals’ life-course and mortuary pathways. Following this, specific mortuary behaviors are discussed in relation to their local or regional cultural setting using relevant archaeological, ethnohistoric, and/or ethnographic data in an effort to interpret their meaning within the broader social, political and economic contexts in which they were carried out. This volume covers a number of topics that are currently being debated in Maya archaeology, including identification and discussion of the role and extent of human sacrifice in Maya culture, the use of ancestors for maintaining political power, the mortuary use of caves by both elites and non-elites, ethnic distinctions within urban areas and the extent of movement of people between communities. Importantly, the papers in this volume attempt to test and move beyond static, dichotic categories that are often employed in mortuary studies in an effort to better understand the complex ways in which the Maya conceptualized and manipulated social identity. This type of nuanced case-study approach that incorporates historical, archaeological and theoretical contextualization is becoming increasingly important in the field of bioarchaeology, providing valuable sources of data where small, diverse samples impede populational approaches.

A unique and wide-ranging introduction to the major prehispanic and colonial societies of Mexico and Central America, featuring new and revised material throughout Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice, Second Edition, provides readers with a diverse and well-balanced view of the archaeology of the indigenous societies of Mexico and Central America, helping students better understand key concepts and engage with contemporary debates and issues within the field. The fully updated second edition incorporates contemporary research that reflects new approaches and trends in Mesoamerican archaeology. New and revised chapters from first-time and returning authors cover the archaeology of Mesoamerican cultural history, from the early Gulf Coast Olmec, to the Classic and Postclassic Maya, to the cultures of Oaxaca and Central Mexico before and after colonization. Presenting a wide range of approaches that illustrate political, socio-economic, and symbolic interpretations, this textbook: Encourages students to consider diverse ways of thinking about Mesoamerica: as a linguistic area, as a geographic region, and as a network of communities of practice Represents a wide spectrum of perspectives and approaches to Mesoamerican archaeology, including coverage of the Postclassic and Colonial periods Enables readers to think critically about how explanations of the past are produced, verified, and debated Includes accessible introductory material to ensure that students and non-specialists understand the chronological and geographic frameworks of the Mesoamerican tradition Discusses recent developments in the contemporary theory and practice of Mesoamerican archaeology Presents new and original research by a team of internationally recognized contributors Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice, Second Edition, is ideal for use in undergraduate courses on the archaeology of Mexico and Central America, as well as for broader courses on the archaeology of the Americas.

In this provocative book, The Cydonia Codex authors George J. Haas and William R. Saunders use archaeological research discoveries and photographs from NASA and other space programs to document the uncanny similarities between Martian and now-extinct Earth cultures. The Martian Codex begins with a review of the thirty-year history of documenting the famous “Face on Mars” landform from NASA’s first photographs in 1976 to the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE shots in 2007. Detailed analysis shows it as a split-faced structure that precisely resembles a set of masks from a temple in Cerros, Mexico. Part two provides additional examples of two-faced and composite structures all over the red planet. Haas and Saunders explore a series of recurring motifs by providing side-by-side views of the Martian geoglyphs with their terrestrial pre-Columbian counterparts. The results substantiate a commonality between two worlds in that both depict specific gods and characters from the creation mythology of the Mayan people, as recorded in the sacred Popol Vuh. This fact-based book represents the most persuasive argument yet that extraterrestrials may indeed have appeared on Earth during an earlier era.