Below is an easy-to-browse
gallery of books that cater to those who are interested in visiting Guatemala
or learning more about its ancient past. The majority of descriptions below are
by independent editors. Feel free to purchase these books directly from Amazon.com!
Guatemala's
Masks and Drama :
Both long time devotees of the Guatemalan mask/dance culture and newcomers to
the subject will be equally fascinated by this colorful and informative book.
Hundreds of masks, many accompanied by contextual photographs, appear in full
color and are identified in detail. The author also explains how to evaluate the
age of a mask through an examination of patina and repair.
Village rental
agencies, called morarias, their walls and ceilings covered with costumes and
masks, are also featured, as are masks used by life-size folk saints. Several
original dance scripts have been translated, giving the reader the rare opportunity
to view the relationship of the masked characters to their place in the ritual
dance culture.
New insights from the Tikal excavations and epigraphic breakthroughs suggest that
a thriving marketplace existed in the center of the city, that foreigners comprised
a significant element of its populace, and that differences in tomb form and contents
signal the changing fortunes of Tikal's rulers.
Essay topics include the
timing of the foundation of the Tikal dynasty, the earliest experiments in socio-political
complexity, the 6th-7th century hiatus in monument erection, the reassertion of
central authority around A.D. 700, and the complex causality behind the collapse
and depopulation during the 9th century. Featuring some of the premiere specialists
in the field as well as innovative new scholars, this volume promises to shape
Tikal's interpretations and research agenda for decades to come.
Maya Daykeeping:
Three Calendars from Highland Guatemala (Mesoamerican Worlds) :
"This volume makes available priceless documents about the Maya of highland
Guatemala. Their transcription and translation conserves vital legacies of Maya
thought, conservation even more critical in light of the especially brutal repression
and violence against Maya peoples in recent decades... The three calendars are--individually
and collectively invaluable resources for scholars." -- Wendy Ashmore, University
of California Riverside.
Deep within the forest in northern Guatemala lie the ruins of Rio Azul, a Maya
city that reached one-third the size of Tikal. Discovered and partially explored
in the early 1960s, Rio Azul and the surrounding region were more fully investigated
between 1983 and 1987 by an archaeological team led by Richard E. W. Adams. In
this summary, Adams integrates the findings of field archaeologists with those
of the epigraphers and art historians to recreate the life of this Maya city from
the little-known Early Classic period.
The Lost Hall of Records : Edgar Cayce's
Forgotten Record of Human History in the Ancient Yucatan :
Deep in the heart of the largely unexplored jungles of the Yucatan lies a storehouse
of records telling the history of all humanity and revealing the origin and meaning
of life. According to the "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce, nearly 13,000
years ago these records were buried at three separate locations in the world.
The Hall of Records at Giza in Egypt has eluded discovery and a second hall is
covered by the Atlantic Ocean near Bimini. The third Hall, located in the general
area of the Yucatan, may now be nearing discovery. The site ‹ Piedras Negras,
Guatemala ‹ is concealing ancient buried records.
In this compelling
book, John Van Auken, author of numerous Cayce-related books, and Dr. Lora Little
present Cayce's story of how and why a Hall of Records was established in the
Yucatan. Backed by solid archaeological evidence and astronomical correlations,
the authors show how the Mayan creation story involves the constellation Orion
and why Piedras Negras is the likely site of the Hall of Records.
In addition,
the authors reveal that Cayce has told us what is recorded in the Hall of Records
through his many Akasha "readings." Finally, an explanation of the current
cycle of the Maya calendar points to the end of our age in 2012 and the beginning
of a strange, new era. Illustrated with 162 pictures, maps, and line drawings,
fully indexed.
The Rough Guide to Guatemala 4 (Rough Guide
Travel Guides) :
The Rough Guide to Guatemala is the essential companion to this astonishing country
with detailed coverage of all the main attractions – from the volcanoes and
crater lakes to the culturally-rich capital of Guatemala City. The full-colour
introduction highlights the spectacular natural beauty of the beaches and wild-life
reserves with stunning photography and the essential list of ‘what not to
miss’.
There are informative accounts of all the Mayan ruins, with
detailed historical backgrounds, and how to get the most from each sight, as well
as thorough explorations of those hidden gems, including the breathtaking Lake
Atilán region and the jungle of Verapaz. You’ll find new colour sections
about Indigenous Costumes and Mayan Architecture, dozens of easy-to-use maps,
as well as countless accommodation and restaurant reviews and tips to find the
best fiestas and highland markets.
The guide has all the practical information
you need to get there, travel around with ease and ensure you don’t miss
the unmissable. Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to Guatemala.
Both long time devotees of the Guatemalan mask/dance culture and newcomers to
the subject will be equally fascinated by this colorful and informative book.
Hundreds of masks, many accompanied by contextual photographs, appear in full
color and are identified in detail. The author also explains how to evaluate the
age of a mask through an examination of patina and repair. 
New insights from the Tikal excavations and epigraphic breakthroughs suggest that
a thriving marketplace existed in the center of the city, that foreigners comprised
a significant element of its populace, and that differences in tomb form and contents
signal the changing fortunes of Tikal's rulers.
"This volume makes available priceless documents about the Maya of highland
Guatemala. Their transcription and translation conserves vital legacies of Maya
thought, conservation even more critical in light of the especially brutal repression
and violence against Maya peoples in recent decades... The three calendars are--individually
and collectively invaluable resources for scholars." -- Wendy Ashmore, University
of California Riverside.
Deep within the forest in northern Guatemala lie the ruins of Rio Azul, a Maya
city that reached one-third the size of Tikal. Discovered and partially explored
in the early 1960s, Rio Azul and the surrounding region were more fully investigated
between 1983 and 1987 by an archaeological team led by Richard E. W. Adams. In
this summary, Adams integrates the findings of field archaeologists with those
of the epigraphers and art historians to recreate the life of this Maya city from
the little-known Early Classic period. 
Deep in the heart of the largely unexplored jungles of the Yucatan lies a storehouse
of records telling the history of all humanity and revealing the origin and meaning
of life. According to the "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce, nearly 13,000
years ago these records were buried at three separate locations in the world.
The Hall of Records at Giza in Egypt has eluded discovery and a second hall is
covered by the Atlantic Ocean near Bimini. The third Hall, located in the general
area of the Yucatan, may now be nearing discovery. The site ‹ Piedras Negras,
Guatemala ‹ is concealing ancient buried records. 
The Rough Guide to Guatemala is the essential companion to this astonishing country
with detailed coverage of all the main attractions – from the volcanoes and
crater lakes to the culturally-rich capital of Guatemala City. The full-colour
introduction highlights the spectacular natural beauty of the beaches and wild-life
reserves with stunning photography and the essential list of ‘what not to
miss’.
