The Art of Mesoamerica from Olmec to Aztec by Mary Ellen Miller

The Art of Mesoamerica from Olmec to Aztec

by Mary Ellen Miller

Thames and Hudson, 1986, colour and black and white illustrations, black and white frontispiece, paperback

Very Good Condition, some edge and shelf wear, some rubbing and bumping to edges and corners, uncreased spine (see photographs)

“This new survey of the art and architecture of ancient Mesoamerica succinctly and evocatively summarizes the artistic achievements of the high Precolumbian civilizations – Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec – as well as of their less well-known contemporaries.  The pyramids and palaces, jades and brightly coloured paintings emerge from these pages as vividly as when they first astonished Cortes’ men in 1519.  There was a surprising unity in Mesoamerican culture from Mexico to Honduras and from 1500 BC to the Spanish Conquest.  Among many features shared were a 260-day ritual calendar and a preoccupation with gods representing natural forces.  Recent research also emphasizes the great importance of rites of kingship, including warfare and blood sacrifice.  These all-pervading themes are woven by Professor Miller into the most up-to-date account of Mesoamerican art.”