Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed

By: Edwin Barnhart, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Edwin Barnhart

Length: 23 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Centuries ago, Spanish conquistadors searching for gold and new lands encountered a group of independent city-states in Mesoamerica. Sophisticated beyond the Spaniards' wildest imaginings, these people were the Aztecs, the Maya, and related cultures that shared common traditions of religion, government, the arts, engineering, and trade. In many ways more advanced than European nations, these societies equaled the world's greatest civilizations of their time.

Immerse yourself in this epic story with 48 exhilarating half-hour lectures that cover the scope of Mesoamerican history and culture. You'll focus mainly on the Maya, who have been in Mesoamerica for thousands of years, and the Aztecs, who mysteriously appeared late and rose swiftly to power. The Aztecs fell from power just as precipitously; their empire controlled the region for less than a century, until the arrival of the Spanish in the early 1500s. Why were the Aztecs so quickly defeated by the conquistadors, while the Maya resisted the invaders for generations?

Although the Spanish eventually conquered all of Mesoamerica, much remains of the original cultures. Beautiful artifacts fill museums. Impressive ruins dot the landscape. And millions of descendants of ancient Mesoamericans still live in their ancestral homes, speaking native languages and practicing time-honored traditions. The countries from Mexico to Costa Rica include more than a dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites related to the pre-Columbian period, plus scores of other ancient sites that are equally worth a visit. This course is the ideal way to plan an itinerary, prepare for a tour, or simply sit back and enjoy a thrilling virtual voyage. You will be surprised at the number of sites to explore - many more than you could possibly see in months of travel. Your guide is Professor Barnhart, a noted archaeologist whose exploits include the discovery of a lost Maya city.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2015 The Great Courses (P)2015 The Teaching Company, LLC

great book

very well narrated. well informed and highly educational. it was more focused on mayans than Aztec. it can have less chapters too

A W E S O M E

So interesting and captivating.
I've kept notes so I can travel to some of these locations - and in my next life, I want to be an Ar heo-Astronomer! Thanks, Dr. Barnhart.

Outstanding course

The professor is exceptional and his teaching style is dynamic. It is very clear he is truly an international expert in his field and his passion is evident, making his lectures informative and entertaining. I highly recommend this course.

A Personal Touch

I really enjoyed this lecture series for a couple reasons.

First, I knew very little about the subject matter. This is, like many of the Great Courses, an introductory survey course. For me there was something new and fascinating every lecture and usually many things.

Second, Prof Barnhart has done a lot of field work and still does field work, has made many discoveries himself which brings an immediacy to his presentation as well as a personal touch.

The course covers prehistory to today but centers on the period of about 1500 BC to just after contact with the Europeans, say about 1600. He touches on all the major and some minor groups. The emphasis is on Olmec, Maya and Aztec. The journey is wonderful. Wish I could go do a study tour there.

Informative and entertaining

Edwin Barnhart is VERY knowledgeable and clearly an expert in the field of Mesoamerican archeology. He’s respectful of the ancient people, as well as the current inhabitants of the area, and I learned a great deal from each of his lectures.

My only note is that he refers to the Ancestral Pueblo people as Anasazi, which is not the term the Pueblo people today want their ancestors to be called.

great book

let me say this author goes into great detail about multiple aspects of Mezoamerican. it really starts getting good at the end. very recommended!

Fantastic book. Extremely insightful.

If you could sum up Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed in three words, what would they be?

Engaging. Enlightening. Satisfying.

Any additional comments?

This book gave me a deep understanding of the civilization(s) that once stood, independent and thriving, in the Americas... long before first contact.

It helped me better grasp the timeline of events and the peoples who inhabited such a large swath of land.

Comprehensive and entertaining

This is great bargain--really two courses in one. The content covered is extensive in both time and geography, covering everything from earliest civilization to the present-day.

Better Than Fiction!

Super look into central American history, fascinating, by an expert archaeologist author who loves it

Exactly what I hoped for it to be.

I absolutely love this lecture series. Saturated with great detail, the information comes flowing in logical chunks seamlessly delivered by the professor. His speech is gentle, moving at a perfect pace, with undeniable signs of passion and deep knowledge of the subject.
If you are like me, a history enthusiast, who is looking to dive into the jungles of ancient America, get a good glimpse of the people who lived then and there, then I suggest giving this a spin. I feel so much smarter than you all, but then again, you might also give this a listen, and then we will be smart together! Wow.