An amazing collection of archeological artifacts await the reader who is able to locate this gem of a book. Originally published to accompany a traveling exhibit that boasted the largest collection of Maya ritual life ever assembled., the book reflects the mysteries of the Maya.The artifacts collected and displayed from over 3,000 collected are those that were found deep within the waters of the sacred well or cenote located near the city of Chichen Itza("mouth of the well of the Itza"). This cenote, deep in the jungle of the Yucatan, is like a mini lake, with sheer vertical walls where the Mayans once stood to offer goods or human life to their gods. Having visited the cenote on a trip to the Yucatan once, it made for one of those memorable occasions that last a life time, a step back in time to a world steeped deep in ancient religion prior to the arrival of the Europeans. The cenote was a sacrificial center where the Mayans paid their spiritual debts and honored their gods with gifts made of gold, jade, copper, pottery, wood, textiles, copal and other materials including the ultimate human offering. The objects collected in this book number over 300 and are detailed in full color and black and white. The magnificent pieces are primarily from the Late Classicperiod(A. D. 690-725) through and including the Postclassic period(A.D. 900-1539). The text that accompanies this beautiful book is highly informative but not in an overly scholarly way. The descriptions of the figures sheds light on the subject for the arm chair archeologist in easly understood language without esoteric jargon. Included is a history on the collector, Edward H. Thompson, beginning with his lowering of a bucket in 1904, the burning of his "museum" after the Mexican Revolution and the settlement of the Mexican Supreme Court in favor of Thompson's heirs after his death which allowed the Harvard Peabody Museum to publish this book. Besides the absolute stunning beauty of the creations offered and sheer abundance of objects, the salvaged intact pieces are amazing to have survived so many hundreds of years in the depths of the cenote. At it's height the site rivaled a pilgrimage destination similar to Jerusalem or Rome. This is one of those books that can be viewed over and over again for inspiration or reflection on the arts and rituals of the Maya. Highly recomended for archeology , art or history buffs that want a glimse into a seldom seen collection of pieces that were unexhibited in the Peabodty Museum for over seventy years after being brought up from the silt in the cenote in the early 1900's. These are truly treasures that should not be missed if one is interested in the Maya and the Sacred Well.

This book tends to focus on American Archaeology, especially the American Southwest. It is well written and informative but in many places is very dry. Overall, this is a good text for a classroom.

As a grad student with a BA in Anthro and an MS in Physics,
I'm a connoisseur of fine science writing. This book is
superb! The reader can appreciate the development of New World
archaeology as an intellectual quest and adventure, expanding our perceptions of the past and who we are.