An authoritative and magnificently illustrated survey of Mesoamerican architecture from pre-Olmec times to the Spanish conquest. This important book, prepared by leading contemporary archaeologists working under the aegis of Mexico's prestigious Instituto Nacional de Antropologia y Historia, begins with an overview of the aesthetics, symbolism, and techniques of Mesoamerican architecture. The succeeding chapters survey the historical development of architecture in each of the region's cultural areas in turn, describing the achievements of the Olmecs, the Maya, the Teotihuacanos, the Aztecs, and many other groups. The concluding chapter is devoted to the descriptions of architecture that have survived in Maya and Aztec texts; it includes a unique and valuable glossary of the relevant glyphs. The main text of this handsome volume is illustrated with color photographs of the spectacular remains of pyramids, palaces, and plazas, while a scholarly appendix presents maps, plans, and drawings of the most important sites and structures. With its authoritative essays and wealth of pictorial material, Pre-Columbian Architecture in Mesoamerica is destined to become a standard reference for the serious student and a source of intellectual delight for the curious amateur. There is no other survey of the entire Mesoamerican region that focuses exclusively on the architectural achievements of its native peoples.

About the Author
Maria Teresa Uriarte is a professor of art history at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) and the director of a major research project on Pre-Columbian mural painting in Mexico. She is the author or co-author of several other books on Pre-Columbian art.

Reviews
Praise for Pre-Columbian Architecture in Mesoamerica: "This is one of the most beautiful books ever published on Mesoamerican architecture; it's extensively illustrated, scholarly, completely footnoted, and well organized, and it presents ample maps, glossaries, and indexes...This book belongs in any fully stocked art or architecture library...The coverage and the illustrations are breathtaking; fans of this type of architecture will be overjoyed." - Library Journal



Book Information
ISBN 9780789210456
Author Maria Teresa Uriarte
Format Hardback
Page Count 336
Imprint Abbeville Press Inc.,U.S.
Publisher Abbeville Press Inc.,U.S.