Maya Art and Architecture

The “classic period” (ad 250‐900) in Mayan art and architecture is the main subject of this scholarly review. The Maya occupied cities largely in the tropical and sub‐tropical rainforests of southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. These rainforest conditions caused much rot and decay, and new works of art were constantly commissioned by kings, nobles and wealthy merchants, whose lives they represented.

Mary Miller surveys scholarly research and the archaeological discoveries which have uncovered a rich array of diverse artistic forms. From at least 500 bc the Maya were building monuments and cities. Particularly remarkable are their stone temples constructed...