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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
As an archeological examination of ruins in Mexico, John Lloyd Stephen's book is very successful, but as a travel and adventure narrative (which is how it is marketed but not necessarily Stephens' aim while writing) it doesn't. The narrative is too dry as Stephens documents ruin after ruin with only a modest bit of speculation about the ancient people who built them. His efforts to pry out and carry away interesting bits of the temples makes him seem more like a grave robber than an archeologist, but I suppose that is just due to the era he lived in. If you're looking for a textbook like description of ancient buildings, this book is for you.
A combination of travel writing and archaeological exploration. Stephens apparently is credited with igniting the interest in Mayan anthropology and archaeology, when he made successive trips to the Yucatan in the 1840s. This book describes events that took place in 1841, and he and his engraver, Frederick Catherwood, primarily take extended studies in the ruins of Uxmal, Tikul, and Kabah in this volume. I find it stunning. Apparently, the ruins had just decayed over the centuries since the Spanish conquest and the Mayan descendants had lost every vestige of their earlier ability to construct a complex civilization. Some of Stephens' "techniques" will sound abhorrent to modern readers. For example taking a crowbar to pry off wooden lentils and stucco and stone facing. But the fact he reveals is that the buildings were collapsing every year. Were the artifacts not saved, the chances Stephens contends are that they would have crumbled soon. The engravings depict pyramids, apartments, and long buildings that are covered by trees and heavy growth, as they had not been entered since the 16th century. Hardship, fever, thirst, and bogs wear down every step. Probably, not too many people are going to find the book(s) interesting, but they have absorbed me. And don't forget to read the appendices, especially the discussion on Mayan calendars and lunar observations. Oh, and just to give an idea of the sense of time in which the volume was written, Stephens notes that Yucatan is in a state of rebellion against the rest of Mexico and has hired war schooners from the Republic of Texas for 8000 per month to help guard Yucatan's seas and ports.
I love Central American ancient civilization, especially the Maya, since my mother’s side of the family is from Honduras. So settling into this book, I was expecting to love the content, but have to overcome 170-year-old stilted writing, casual racism, and classism. I’m surprised and happy to say that this wasn’t the case, that the writing was very accessible, if a bit dated. Racism wasn’t a problem in the book, and the author didn’t place himself above the people he met along the way. He seems to have been a bit ahead of his time in his thinking, perhaps due to his open-mindedness and passion for exploration.
The accounts of the discovery of long-forgotten Mayan ruins was incredibly exciting. The vivid descriptions did a good job of conveying the mystery and excitement of digging stone monuments out of the overgrown jungle. Also, the artwork by the author’s traveling companion adds a lot to the experience.
The only thing that makes the book distasteful is the author’s occasional admiration for young women. These descriptions are never vulgar or explicit, and are always very brief, but even the tame admiration for young beauty leaves a blemish on an otherwise fun adventure/travel account.
The accounts of the discovery of long-forgotten Mayan ruins was incredibly exciting. The vivid descriptions did a good job of conveying the mystery and excitement of digging stone monuments out of the overgrown jungle. Also, the artwork by the author’s traveling companion adds a lot to the experience.
The only thing that makes the book distasteful is the author’s occasional admiration for young women. These descriptions are never vulgar or explicit, and are always very brief, but even the tame admiration for young beauty leaves a blemish on an otherwise fun adventure/travel account.