Overview

The first in-depth exploration of the narrow but vital region between the pre-Columbian Maya highlands and lowlands in Guatemala called the Northern Transversal Strip. Living between Worlds: Archaeology and History at the Southern Edge of the Maya Lowlands is the first in-depth exploration of the narrow but vital region between the pre-Columbian Maya highlands and lowlands in Guatemala. This groundbreaking volume brings together the results of a twenty-five-year, multidisciplinary collaboration that reshapes our understanding of Maya civilization. Long overlooked due to the absence of towering monuments and stone cities, the Northern Transversal Strip was nevertheless a hub of commerce, culture, and political interaction. Spanning multiple Classic Maya city-states, conquest-era ethnic groups, and modern geopolitical boundaries, the region played a crucial role as a transportation corridor and resource center. Archaeologists, art historians, ethnohistorians, biologists, and paleoecologists join forces in this volume to reconstruct its complex past, uncovering its deep connections to the broader Maya world. From its role in the trade of cacao, salt, and quetzal feathers to its enduring significance through the Spanish conquest and modern conflicts, the Northern Transversal Strip emerges as a dynamic and pivotal region. Through detailed analyses of ceramics, figurines, obsidian exchange networks, and settlement patterns, this volume reveals the intricate web of interregional ties that defined the Maya civilization. With cutting-edge research and fresh perspectives, Living Between Worlds offers a comprehensive synthesis of archaeological discoveries, historical insights, and environmental studies. By literally and metaphorically bridging the highland-lowland divide, this volume transforms how scholars and readers alike perceive this once-marginalized but essential part of the Maya world.

Full Product Details

9780817322564

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Woodfill and Leight fill a void in our knowledge about the ancient Maya world and the interactions that occurred within an area between the Maya Highlands and the archaeologically well-worked Maya lowlands."" --Arlen Chase, co-editor, Ancient Mesoamerican Population History: Urbanism, Social Complexity, and Change ""Living between Worlds is an excellent contribution to Maya archaeology because it covers a region encompassing the interface between the Maya lowlands and highlands. It is a very cohesive and interesting volume."" --Joel Palka, author of Maya Pilgrimage to Ritual Landscapes: Insights from Archaeology, Ethnohistory, and Ethnography

""Woodfall and Leight fill a void in our knowledge about the ancient Maya world and the interactions that occurred within an area between the Maya Highlands and the archaeologically well-worked Maya lowlands."" --Arlen Chase, co-editor, Ancient Mesoamerican Population History: Urbanism, Social Complexity, and Change ""Living between Worlds is an excellent contribution to Maya archaeology because it covers a region encompassing the interface between the Maya lowlands and highlands. It is a very cohesive and interesting volume."" --Joel Palka, author of Maya Pilgrimage to Ritual Landscapes: Insights from Archaeology, Ethnohistory, and Ethnography

Author Information

Megan E. Leight is a teaching assistant professor of art history at West Virginia University. She has worked in the Maya region since 2011. Brent K. S. Woodfill is a professor of anthropology at Winthrop University. He is author of War in the Land of True Peace: The Fight for Maya Sacred Spaces and Ritual and Trade in the Pasión-Verapaz Region, Guatemala.

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