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Mexico: From The Olmecs To The Aztecs (Ancient Peoples And Places)

“Masterly. . . . The complexities of Mexico’s ancient cultures are perceptively presented and interpreted.” ―Library Journal Michael D. Coe’s Mexico has long been recognized as the most readable and authoritative introduction to the region’s ancient civilizations. This companion to his best-selling The Maya has now been revised by Professor Coe and Rex Koontz. The seventh edition incorporates new findings in a number of disciplines. The solution to the long-standing puzzle of the origin of maize-farming has at last been solved, and spectacular new discoveries shed light on Mexico’s earliest civilization, the Olmec culture. At the great city of Teotihuacan, recent investigations in the earliest monumental pyramid indicate the antiquity of certain sacrificial practices and the symbolism of the pyramid. Expanded information on the Huastec region of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico is included, while discoveries in the sacred precinct of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan have led to a refined understanding of the history and symbolism of this hallowed area. 182 illustrations, 20 in color

Series: Ancient Peoples and Places

Paperback: 256 pages

Publisher: Thames & Hudson; 7 edition (June 14, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0500290768

ISBN-13: 978-0500290767

Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.7 x 9.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #178,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #19 in Books > History > Ancient Civilizations > Aztec #97 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > History > Latin America #127 in Books > History > Americas > Mexico

Loaded with excellent photos of objects, with drawings, architectural plans, and maps, this is one of Thames and Hudson's great books for which the authors should be congratulated. Written in readable style, with a mixture of iconographic detail and summaries of knowledge about different periods of Mexican history, this book is a fabulous introduction to the ancient civilizations of Mexico except for the Maya. I believe there is a separate volume for them. We start in the distant past of village life, moving towards the early urban civilizations, then to the Classic periods of the Olmecs, Teotihuacan, Monte Alban, Cacaxtala and others, then to the Toltecs, and finally to the Aztecs. If you read MEXICO: you will come away with an excellent basic understanding of what is known so far about those ancient peoples and cultures. Given that there was far more information available about the Aztecs, I found that section the most fascinating, but it's all good. There's an epilogue, dealing with the Spanish conquest and even a section about visiting Mexico (rather unexpected). If you are teaching an introductory course on Mexico, this could be a textbook. If you are planning a trip to the country and want an overview, this is it. If you are at home, trying to get a handle on all the -ecs of the Mexican past, you can straighten a lot of it out right here.

If you are interested n knowing about the many indigenous peoples of Mexico and follow their development chronologically, this is THE book to have. It does not deal with the Maya except as influences. They have a separate volume for the Maya who cover several MesoAmerican countries. This book is a great introduction to various ancient cultures throughout Mexico from the entry of Asiatic populations across the Alaska land bridge to the conquest of the Aztecs by the Spanish. While the Oxford History of Mexico covers some of these same materials, this one is more archaeologically oriented. A great way to plan a visit to the various sites in Mexico (the reason I bought it).

Finally, one book, one stream of thought related to the evolution of native history in central Mexico. The pieces finally fit together for me! Interesting writing style, sensible and easy to read. What a story!

I was impressed by this updated edition that incorporates the marvelous new understandings of the civilizations of Ancient Mexico that modern archaeology has provided since I was a student. This survey is accessible to beginners but also indispensible to the practitioner. It is also a great read that retains the authority, flavor and sense of discovery of the original. I recommend it without qualification.

I’ve always loved archaeology, particularly in regards to the Americas. This book has a wealth of information on the civilizations of Mexico. It contains photos I haven’t seen elsewhere too. I found it interesting and it made me want to visit the sites to see them for myself. If you have an interest in the Aztecs, Olmecs, Toltecs, Zapotecs or any of the other great civilizations of Mexico you’d probably enjoy reading this as much as I did.

A very good book on a very complex subject. Offers a wide picture of the numerous cultures that populated precolumbian Mexico and at the same time is rich in details, perhaps too many. This book is not easy to read for people not familiar with these sciences. It is well written and well organized. I truly recommend it.

This excellent volume reviews the history of ancient Mexico from the Olmecs to the Aztec conquest, with frequent reference to the state of knowledge obtained from digs and available documents (a woefully small amount for the latter). He touches on the predisposition for the grotesque and monstrous in pre-Columbian art, which has always amazed me. I suspect that the common people of those times deserved a better religion and government than the one they had, steeped as it was in the blood of captives. This book is well worth the read, unbiased, scholarly, and balanced

A lot of geology, landscape, diet, and other explanations. It's hard to write history and put it all the pieces of the puzzle together, especially when a lot of the pieces are missing or are made up of a couple opposing theories and perspectives. This book has a lot of info.

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