The Lords of Tikal: Rulers of an Ancient Maya City

by Peter D. Harrison

Book Overview

The Maya metropolis of Tikal was once one of the greatest cities in the world, and today it has become one of the most visited Maya sites.Drawing upon more than thirty years of excavation and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0500050945
• ISBN13: 9780500050941
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 2.13 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.8" x 10.1"

Customer Reviews

A classic for the Classic Maya.

The pyramids at Tikal are perhaps the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring structures of the pre-Hispanic world. The research available in this book helps shed light on the fascinating history behind the facades of limestone. There is so much history and culture that is essential to the American (the Pan American) identity. And this is a clear, concise, enjoyable read to learn about it.

better late than never

I visited Tikal last Feb. I had read about it for years and still wasn't prepared for the magnitude, the scope the complexity of the civilization it was a small part of--it is a place you have to visit and see for yourself to even begin to really grasp. When I got home I found this book--I really wish I had read this BEFORE I WENT, the trip would have been better for it. In any case, I was happy to read it after the trip. This is the single best work I've found for sharing part of what I discovered at Tikal with people who haven't been there. I recommend it--especially if you are considering a visit--but also if you just like to armchair travel...It is a nice place to go either way.

if you're going to tikal

this book on tikal is essential for those going to the ruins. not only does it take you back in time, it also helps orientate the traveler so he can use the best of his time, money and efforts. Don't leave home without it!

The Lords of Tikal

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It does for part of the Mayan world what much of the early work by epigraphers did for that of ancient Egypt in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. The translation and interpretation of Mayan hieroglyphics is a recent phenomenon, occurring only within the last three decades. Through the efforts of dedicated researchers like Dr. Harrison, who excavated at the site of Tikal, and the late Linda Schele, who worked on Mayan hieroglyphics, a synthesis of the epigraphic material is only just beginning to reveal the story and characters of the Maya world for the enjoyment of the armchair enthusiast like myself. This work is definitely an illustration of what is likely to come from the fieldwork in the future.

A metropolis comes to life

What Peter Harrison has created is a joy to read. Not only does he present a comprehensive and fascinating place, but he also brings the movers and shakers of the city to life. He makes their motives and lives as real as any modern day biography. To read of the city is one thing, to come to an understanding of the "whys and wherefores" is an experience I did not want to end. As I neared the end of the book, I found myself wanting to dive in deeper and experience even more. I truly hope that more books of this caliber are in the making. A "must read" for any one, neophyte and well beyond.