Description: This book explores the ways in which the dynamics of political power shaped the lives and landscape of the Maya and how this information can be used to look at other complex societies.
Review Quotes:
"This important contribution will interest archaeologists working in Mesoamerica and beyond. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice
"Essential reading for Mayanists but its emphasis on methodology should make it valuable reading for anyone interested in early states."--Antiquity
"Foias provides a refreshing take on questions long fascinating to Maya and other scholars. . . . Illustrate[s] the political history and interaction of a medium-sized center located in the major hotbed of political intrigue."--Journal of Anthropological Research
"Adopts an agent-based approach to understanding the political machinations from the seventh to the ninth century. . . . [A] sophisticated synthesis of archaeological materials."--Hispanic American Historical Review
"An exemplary model of good scholarship and clearly presented arguments."--Anthropos
"Strikes a fine balance between maintaining a single-culture focus and integrating cross-cultural comparisons. It will play a significant role in future discussions of Maya political organization as well as of broader anthropological studies of power."--American Anthropologist