Mystery of the Maya, The
Gr 4-8-Palenque, a natural terrace situated by springs in the Yucat n, was home to Mayans during their classical period. In this photo-essay, Lourie recounts his visit to this archaeological site, discovered over a century ago but still largely unexcavated. His narrative, which begins with a dramatic encounter with a highly venomous pit viper, maintains momentum throughout. The author provides some background information on early excavations of the city along with fascinating archival photos and reproductions from that period. He discusses the painstakingly slow progress of uncovering buildings in the jungle and introduces readers to Palenque's archaeologists, macheteros (hired to cut through the vegetation), and its mysterious "spiritual guide." Excellent color photographs expose the fine detail of the city's stonework, witness the encroaching jungle, offer portraits of local residents, and record on-site work. This title will be a great adjunct to studies of this ancient culture, or Mexico, and with its many mentions and pictures of scorpions, bats, snakes, and tunnels, it should appeal to reluctant readers.Daryl Grabarek, School Library JournalCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.