"An essential guide to the art and architecture of ancient Central America." -- Colonial Latin American Historical Review Mary Ellen Miller evocatively surveys the artistic achievements of thehigh pre-Columbian civilizations--Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec,Aztec--as well as those of their less-well-known contemporaries. Theirpyramids and palaces, jades and brightly colored paintings emerge fromthese pages as vividly as when they first astonished Cortes's men in 1519.The fifth edition of this standard work incorporates new color imagesand extensive updates based on the latest research and discoveries. Therevisions include a rewritten and extended chapter on Teotihuacan; up-todateanalysis of the links between the Olmecs and the Maya; a discussionof new discoveries at the heart of the Aztec capital that continue toastound students of Mexico; and much more.