"This book considers the ways in which the built environment in Mesoamerica functioned as a carrier of cultural meanings. Ancient Mesoamerica - making up much of present-day Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, along with parts of Honduras and El Salvador - witnessed the development of many regional cultures and the concentration of peoples in architectural centers such as La Venta, Monte Alban, Teotihuacan, Mitla, Tula, El Tajin, Tenochtitlan, Copan, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, and Tulum.

Mesoamerican architecture is closely related to the social structure of the community, and the design and spatial distribution of pyramid-temples, palaces, ballcourts, shrines, sweatbaths, and ordinary dwellings at such sites reflected and reinforced the codes of behavior within particular societies."--BOOK JACKET.

"In this collection, a number of prominent scholars provide new interpretations and useful syntheses of many of the most significant Mesoamerican architectural traditions from the Preclassic to the Postclassic periods. It should appeal to a broad readership of archaeologists, Mesoamerican specialists, and to those interested in ancient art, society, and history."--BOOK JACKET.