Ancient Maya : the rise and fall of a rainforest civilization - Demarest, Arthur Andrew (New York : Cambridge University Press, 2004)
The mystery and the challenge of the ancient Maya -- Background : geography, chronology, and theoretical perspective -- The exploration and archaeology of the Maya : a brief history -- Obscure beginnings and the Preclassic florescence -- The splendor of the classic Maya florescence in the lowlands -- Settlement and subsistence : the rain forest adaptation -- Classic Maya economics -- Religion and ideology : beliefs and rituals of the theater-states -- Classic Maya politics and history : the dynamics of the theater-states -- The end of classic Maya civilization : collapse, transition, and transformation -- The legacy of the classic Maya civilization : postclassic, colonial, and modern traditions -- The lessons of classic Maya history and prehistory.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 303-363) and index.
Keywords: Mayas -- Antiquities; Mayas -- History; Mayas -- Social life and customs; Central America -- Antiquities; Mexico -- Antiquities