The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Maya Kingdom

Webster's case study reconstructs and evaluates the sociopolitical system and culture history of a world-famous Classic Maya Center in the highlands of Western Honduras, whose great temples, palaces, and carved monuments have been investigated since the 1830's. Using material from a series of archaeological excavations begun in 1975 that focused on reconstructing the entire Copán Kingdom, this book presents for the first time an interpretation of the political, demographic, and agricultural history of the entire region. Providing an extensive review of the methods used to reconstruct Copán's history, the book helps students develop a basic understanding of how archaeologists reconstruct ancient social systems.