ABSTRACT
I ntricate calendars, great ceremonial centers and superb architecture, mysteriousglyphs and spectacular shamanistic rituals-the colorful Mayacivilization fascinates archaeologist and layperson alike. Exotic and, until recently, little
understood, the Maya epitomize the ancient traditions of civilization in Central America. A search for their origins takes us back nearly four millennia to the village farming communities that flourished in Mesoamerica when Egyptian civilization was at its height and the Shang state dominated northern China. This chapter describes the origins and growth of Maya and other lowland civilizations in Central America. Chapter 13 surveys the peoples of the highlands, who interacted constantly with their lowland neighbors.
