The Fall of the Ancient Maya: Solving the Mystery of the Maya Collapse
The mystique of the ancient Maya dates from the early 19th  century, when explorers in Central America rediscovered temple  and palace complexes, astronomical observatories, and monuments  with hieroglyphic inscriptions. The image of a lost civilization  absorbed by jungle has fueled the popular imagination, leading  to much speculation about how and why the classic Maya culture  collapsed. Webster (anthropology, Pennsylvania State Univ.) here  outlines what is known about that culture and discusses the  meaning of civilization as applied to the ancient Maya. He notes  that the Maya represented not a united empire but a group of  kingdoms sharing an elite culture that did not survive the  collapse, though descendants of the ancient Maya still live in  the same geographical areas. Webster also reviews evidence from  archaeology, paleography, and historical writings and discusses  theories of the collapse, concluding that it was not sudden but  gradual and that its causes vary with location and may be  attributed to overpopulation, environmental degradation,  warfare, and the decline of kingship ideology. This excellent  overview of classic Maya culture and history will be of interest  to both the specialist and the general reader. For all  libraries. Lucille M. Boone, San Jose P.L., CACopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.