ABSTRACT
Central America is often left out of books on the Maya. Focusing on the Maya in isolation, without including their neighbors, is a mistake. Indeed, our knowledge is enormously enriched when we see the Maya - along with their allies, enemies, and trading partners - as embedded in a world that includes their neighbors to the south. The ancient Maya are famous for their large stone pyramids, hieroglyphic writing system, complicated calendar, and beautiful stone sculpture. Yet none of these accomplishments were unique to their civilization. Seldom are the Maya and their southeastern Central American neighbors of El Salvador and Honduras considered together, despite the fact that they engaged in mutually beneficial trade, intermarried, and occasionally made war and conquered each other. The current work considers a wide variety of topics, methodologies, and cultures of Mesoamerica.
