World of the Maya by Victor W. Von Hagen, 1960

Description

A history of the Mayas and their resplendent civilization that grew out of the jungles and wastelands of Central America. Archaeology reveals the wonders of Maya Art and the architecture and the Enigma of their calendar and hieroglyphic writing. By the time the conquistadores arrived in Yucatan, where the Maya were then concentrated, many of their greater cities were deserted. The stately monuments, the lofty pyramids, and the palaces of splendidly carved facades had been overwhelmed by the jungle. From the time of their conquest until now, the magnificent quality of their art and the mystery of their appearance and disappearance has excited man's imagination.