Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice

Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice

Rosemary Joyce

"This is not the same old culture history but a respectable compilation of recent fieldwork and analysis within a framework of innovative problem-oriented research. Joyce's introductory chapter is a synthetic tour de force." - Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute

"With specially commissioned essays by leading scholars, this is an excellent up-to-date introduction to Mesoamerican archaeology." - Oxbow Books.

In this volume archaeologists have, at last, a textbook on Mesoamerica that combines recent data with current social thought. The chapters are beautifully written and provocative, giving deeper insight into Mesoamerican cultural diversity without simplifying 5000 years into a single story. Hendon and Joyce have chosen contributors who are not just specialists, but who are some of the most exciting thinkers of our generation." - K. Anne Pyburn, Indiana University.

Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice is an outstanding book. It is exactly what we’ve needed in the field for a very long time and should be used by everyone teaching a course in Mesoamerican archaeology. Hendon and Joyce have done an outstanding job of integrating fresh essays by leading scholars into a text that is both theoretically informed and empirically up to date. The combination of theory and data make it an indispensable work." - Michael Love, California State University, Northridge.