[Aztlan] The non-urban Maya

[Michael Smith]

Anyone is interested in the history of this notion should read Marshall
Becker's paper:

 

Becker, Marshall J.

1979   Priests, Peasants and Ceremonial Centers: The Intellectual
History of a Model. In Maya Archaeology and Ethnohistory, edited by
Norman Hammond, and Gordon R. Willey, pp. 3-20. University of Texas
Press, Austin.

 

I had forgotten what an excellent paper this is. It looks as the
development of ideas on the Maya as non-urban and as ruled by priests
from the early 20th century through about 1970. I highly recommend it. I
would think that someone must have published a detailed study of the
situation since 1970. Although I can recall many brief treatments I
can't think of any in-depth analysis, however.

 

Mike

 

Dr. Michael E. Smith

Professor of Anthropology

School of Human Evolution & Social Change

Arizona State University

www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/