The classic Maya western region
Subtitle: a history
By: Peter Biro
Series: BAR international series -- 2308; BAR international series -- 2308.
Publisher: Archaeopress
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Oxford
Language: eng
Number of pages: 323
ISBN-13: 9781407308913
Subjects: Politics and government; Mayan Inscriptions; Mayas; History
Description: "Over the past decade there has been substantial progress in understanding Maya hieroglyphic writing. This development led to the reconstruction of Classic Maya (AD 300-900) political history. Epigraphers suggested a major influence of Teotihuacan during the Early Classic Period (AD 300-600), and some even argued for a direct Teotihuacan conquest of the Maya lowlands. The Late Classic Period (AD 600-900) was interpreted as a constant hegemonic struggle between Tikal and Calakmul, which in different ways influenced Classic Maya political relations. These reconstructions of political history were directly tied to the interpretations of political organisation, ranging from peer polity interaction models to more bureaucratic polities. In this work the author examines and analyses inscriptions from the Western Maya Region, which are especially rich in information concerning interaction of polities and interpolity organisation. The author reconstructs the historical development of the region, examining the influence of Teotihuacan and that of the hegemonic states Tikal and Calakmul."--Publisher's website.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 307-323).
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: History and classic Maya texts; title: Local and foreign: the beginning of dynastic rule in the western Maya region (2nd and 4th centuries AD); title: Teotihuacan and the secondary elite: the western Maya region during the 5th-6th centuries AD; title: The expansion of Kanul Royal House: the western Maya region from 599 to 695 AD; title: Peak and collapse of the political system: the western Maya region for 695 to 950; title: The classic Maya ideal polity; title: Conclusion: politics and polity in western Maya region during the Classic Period.