The Art of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec

Description

Expanded and revised in its sixth edition, The Art of Mesoamerica surveys the artistic achievements of the high prehispanic civilizations of Central America - Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec - as well as those of their lesser-known contemporaries. Providing an in-depth examination of central works, this book guides readers through the most iconic palaces, pyramids, sculptures and paintings. From the Olmec Colossal Head 5 recovered from San Lorenzo to the Aztec Calendar Stone found in Mexico City's Zocalo in 1790, this book reveals the complexity and innovation behind the art and architecture produced in prehispanic civilizations. This new edition incorporates new lavish colour images and extensive updates based on the latest research and dozens of recent discoveries, particularly in Maya art, where excavations at Teotihuacan, the largest city of Mesoamerica, and Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztecs, have yielded new sculptures.

Mary Ellen Miller is an American art historian and Dean of Yale College. In 2008, she was appointed as Sterling Professor at Yale. She has served as the Chair of the History of Art, Latin American Studies, and Archaeological Studies Departments at Yale, as well as Director of Undergraduate Studies of the History of Art. She has written many articles on Mesoamerican art, and her book with Linda Schele, The Blood of Kings, is considered a landmark in Maya studies. She is also the author, with Karl Taube, of The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya.