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

Walk With the Ancient Mayans with Prof. Barnhart

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I listened to these lectures in preparation for a vacation to the Yucatan. Professor Barnhart transmits his own wonder over the Mayas to the listener. He relates the history with proper reference to the primary historical record, discusses where there is some uncertainty, and inviting the listener to join in the academic exploration. By the end of the series, you might be tempted to pick up a shovel and join him on an archaeological dig.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed?

The discussion of Mayan mathematics and calendar revealed how incredibly advanced the Mayans were in these areas. It demonstrated how knowledge burgeoned in the New World, in parallel with the Eastern world.

informative and very enjoyable

I just wanted to keep listening even did a great job of explaining things that would have been better with visuals

worth every minute

fascinating, illuminating, gets the imagination going. I thought I had some understanding of mezoamerican history, now I have some perspective on how ignorant I was and still am.

Wish It Was Longer

This guy knows his stuff! He’s also open minded about reinterpretation of the sacred cows that trap many archeologists nor is he judgmental about practices that were pretty horrendous. He’s an actual archeologist, not an anthropologist wearing too much insect spray, and most importantly, he’s not boring.

If the subject matter interests you then this is worth your time and money even if it’s your professional field you’ll learn something. Even if it’s something that’s just a curiosity for you he creates a far more interesting and realistic story than the “Then the Spanish came...” stuff from history classes.

Buy it and enjoy it.

Exciting information to learn about Mesoamerica

Where does Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best audiobooks, if not, the best audiobook on Mesoamerica that I have ever read. The content and narration are excellent and go into great detail. I especially like how the narrator discuss Western Mexico which is almost always overlooked in other Mesoamerica books. This is a great book for anyone interested in knowing more about Ancient Mexico.

What other book might you compare Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed to and why?

I would recommend Michael Coe's The Maya, Breaking the Maya Code, and Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. These are some of the best books out there to introduce someone to Mesoamerica.

What about Professor Edwin Barnhart’s performance did you like?

His narration was clear and concise. The content was well drafted and selected.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was especially moved when I started listening to the chapter on ancient West Mexico and the Tarascans (Purepecha). I'm always looking on information about the cultures of West Mexico and the book does a great job of going into detail with respect to this topic.

The most detailed account of Mesoamerica

Before I listened to this audio book, I had no idea how rich and extensive the history of Mesoamerica was. The content is very detailed and well presented, and the narrator does an excellent job telling the stories. If you are looking for a serious book on the pre and post-Columbian history of the inhabitants of Mesoamerica, and the cities and archeological remains they left behind, look no further.

An excellent introduction and overview of Mesoamerican cultures and history.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to discover pre-Columbian peoples and civilizations. It is an overview so at times you may be frustrated by the limits of the information provided. But the presenter is extremely knowledgable and has many years of experience in the field. He is able to bring many of these cultures and people alive in your mind's eye. It was a very satisfying "read" and I highly recommend it.

Great lecture

I loved listening to this audiobook. Very well documented, great narrative and very insightful. Really made me connect with my roots.

Fascinating

If you enjoy learning about Mesoamerican history, this lecture series will captivate you. I’ve always revered Mayan and Aztec cultures, but this course opened my eyes to to depth and beauty of all of the indigenous cultures of the region. Highly recommend. If the series is too long, just pick the lectures that you’re most interested in and start there!

Wonderful History of Meso America

Great job with course, packed full of information and history. So much to learn from ancient people