Mayan Royal History

Book Categories: Mayan Royalty, Palaces, Civilization, Copan, Tikal, Art & Literature, Travel Guides, DVDs, Native Americans, Children's Books

Kings and Queens of the Maya

Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens by Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube. Includes biographical accounts of 152 kings and four ruling queens; data on their lineage, spouses and children, and places of burial; and timelines.

A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya by Linda Schele. The first complete history of Mayan kingship, from its beginning to its decline.

Lords of Creation: The Origins of Sacred Maya Kingship by Virginia M. Fields. Sculpture, ceramics, masks, jewelry, and early writing offer a unique perspective on Mayan kings, their people, and the gods.

The Blood of Kings: Dynasty and Ritual in Maya Art by Linda Schele and Mary Ellen Miller, photographs by Justin Kerr. Includes chapters on the royal person, rites of accession, courtly life, and more.

Death and the Classic Maya Kings by James L. Fitzsimmons. Royal death rites and burials in the Classic Period (AD 250-900).

The Lost Chronicles of the Maya Kings by David Drew. Shows that there were two Mayan empires: an "international" one verging on the Toltec and Mexica lands to the north, and an isolationist one to the south. Both fell victim to overpopulation and environmental failure. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Water and Ritual: The Rise and Fall of Classic Maya Rulers by Lisa J. Lucero. Classic Maya kings sponsored elaborate public rituals to ensure an adequate amount of rain. When the rains failed at the end of the Classic period (AD 850-950), the Maya rulers lost their authority.

Mayan Courts and Palaces

Royal Courts of the Ancient Maya: Volume 1 edited by Takeshi Inomata and Stephen D. Houston. A study of the administrative functions, internal dynamics, and symbolic roles of rulers and their retinues.

Royal Courts of the Ancient Maya: Volume 2: Case Studies by Takeshi Inomata and Stephen Houston. Published in 2001, this volume provides data and insights from key Maya sites, including Copan, Tikal, Caracol, Bonampak, and Calakmul.

Maya Palaces and Elite Residences: An Interdisciplinary Approach edited by Jessica Joyce Christie. Senior researchers report on sites in Belize (Blue Creek), Western Honduras (Copan), the Peten (Tikal, Dos Pilas, Aguateca), and the Yucatan (Uxmal, Chichen-Itza, Dzibilchaltun, Yaxuna).

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Mayan Civilization

The Maya by Michael D. Coe. An introduction to Mayan civilization. Explains the relationship between the warrior-kings of the classic Maya lowlands and Teotihuacan, the greatest city of pre-Conquest America. Includes a guide to reading Maya hieroglyphic writing.

The Classic Maya by Stephen D. Houston and Takeshi Inomata. In the first millennium AD, the Classic Maya created courtly societies in and around the Yucatan Peninsula, including large settlements like Tikal, Copan, and Palenque. This book reports on kings, queens, nobles, and farmers in societies predicated on sacred kingship.

The Fall of the Ancient Maya: Solving the Mystery of the Maya Collapse by David Webster. Ancient Maya civilization thrived in Central America for more than a thousand years. Then it mysteriously vanished. This book evaluates theories about the fall of the Maya and dispels myths. It paints a picture of a brittle Late Classic world, where ambitious kings, scheming nobles, courtly extravagance, destructive wars, and an exploding population led to unsustainable stress on cultivatable land.

Yucatan Before and After the Conquest by Diego de Landa. Written in the 16th century, this work discusses the Spanish conquest and its effects, and provides a long summary of Maya civilization. Includes maps and illustrations.

Time Among the Maya: Travels in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico by Ronald Wright. Explores the ancient roots of the Maya, their recent troubles, and their prospects for survival.

An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya by Mary Miller. Nearly 300 entries describe the main gods and symbols of the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya, Teotihuacanos, Mixtecs, Toltecs, and Aztecs. Two introductory essays summarize Mesoamerican history and religion.

Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization by Arthur Demarest. Drawing on the latest archaeological research, this study emphasizes the brilliant rain forest adaptations of the Maya and the spirituality that permeated their daily life.

Maya: Divine Kings of the Rainforest edited by Nikolai Grube. Photographs and essays.

Copan

Copan: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Maya Kingdom by David Webster, Anncorinne Freter, Nancy Gonlin. Using material from archaeological excavations begun in 1975 that focused on reconstructing the entire Copan Kingdom (located in Honduras), this book interprets the history of the region.

Scribes, Warriors, and Kings: The City of Copan and the Ancient Maya by William L. Fash, illustrated by Barbara W. Fash. Provides fascinating insights into the life and times of royalty, nobles, and commoners in the Copan kingdom.

Copan: The History of an Ancient Maya Kingdom by William L. Fash, E. Wyllys Andrews.

Trees of Paradise and Pillars of the World by Elizabeth A. Newsome is about the serial stelae cycle of "18-Rabbit-God K," King of Copan.

Tikal

Tikal: An Illustrated History of the Ancient Maya Capital by John Montgomery. Recounts Tikal's rise from prehistoric times to the height of Maya civilization, and its spectacular collapse and abandonment.

The Lords of Tikal: Rulers of an Ancient Maya City by Peter D. Harrison. Summarizes what is known of this mysterious city and its rulers. Illustrated with photographs.

Tikal: Dynasties, Foreigners and Affairs of State edited by Jeremy A. Sabloff. About Maya archaeology.

Mayan Art, Architecture & Literature

The Code of Kings: The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs by Linda Schele and Peter Mathews. A guide to seven major sites, richly illustrated with line art and photography. The authors' revolutionary work in the decipherment of the hieroglyphs on ruins give us a far clearer picture of Maya culture than ever before.

Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition of the Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life and the Glories of Gods and Kings translated by Dennis Tedlock. This Mayan book of creation begins with the deeds of Mayan gods and ends with the lords who founded the Quiché kingdom in the Guatemalan highlands. This unabridged translation includes new notes and commentary, newly translated passages, newly deciphered hieroglyphs, and over 40 new illustrations.

Rabinal Achi: A Mayan Drama of War and Sacrifice translated by Dennis Tedlock. This Mayan play tells the story of city-states, war, nobility, diplomacy, and mysticism. Despite being banned for centuries by Spanish authorities, it is still performed today.

The Bird Who Cleans the World and Other Mayan Fables by Victor Montejo, translated by Wallace Kaufman. A collection of stories from the oral tradition of the Maya.

Travel Guides

Lonely Planet Guatemala by John Noble, Susan Forsyth, Conner Gorry. Includes information on all major Mayan sites, including Copán in Honduras.

Frommer's Mexico 2007 by Lynne Bairstow.

Children's Books

Lady of Palenque: Flower of Bacal, Mesoamerica, A.D. 749 by Anna Kirwan. A fictional Maya princess writes in her diary about her arduous journey to Xukpip to meet King Fire Keeper, her future husband. From the Royal Diaries series for children ages 9 to 12.

The Maya: Journey Into Civilization by Robert Nicholson. A look at Mayan history, social life, and customs. For children ages 9 to 12.

Secrets of Ancient Cultures: The Maya - Activities and Crafts From a Mysterious Land by Arlette N. Braman and Michele Nidenoff. Provides a history of the ancient Maya civilization, as well as recipes, games, and crafts. For children ages 9 to 12.

The Mystery of the Maya: Uncovering the Lost City of Palenque by Peter Lourie. A book on archaeology for children ages 9 to 12.

Tikal: The Center of the Maya World by Elizabeth Mann, illustrated by Tom McNeely. Sprawling over 25 square miles, Tikal was situated in the heart of the Yucatan. Its rulers built a magnificent city of palaces, grand plazas, and stone pyramids. For children ages 9 to 12.

Mayan Tikal by Romano Solbiati, illustrated by Aldo Ripamonti. For children ages 9 to 12.

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Documentaries on DVD

These DVDs are formatted for North American audiences.

Lost Kingdoms of the Maya. Explore the ruins of the most highly developed civilization in the jungles of Mexico and Central America. You'll hear the startling story of the kingdom's downfall and witness ancient rituals re-enacted on sites where they originally occurred. From National Geographic.

In Search of History: The Maya. Journey to the Mexican jungle on a quest to unearth the mysteries of one of the great empires of the New World. Scale the height of Palenque's great palace to investigate the Temple of Inscriptions, and find out why the Mayans altered their historical records.

National Geographic: Dawn of the Maya. Much is known about the classic Maya era of great cities ruled by powerful kings. The Maya civilization flourished, suffered a collapse, and went through a great resurgence before Europeans arrived.

Nova: The Lost King of the Maya. Sixteen centuries ago, a mysterious left-handed warrior seized control of the Mayan city of Copan, founding a dynasty that would last for 400 years. NOVA pieces together the fascinating puzzle of this mighty monarch.

Digging for the Truth: New Maya Revelations. When did the Maya Civilization truly reach its peak? Join host Josh Bernstein as he tracks their origins.

More Movies and Documentaries About Royal History