The Early Mesoamerican village

by Kent V. Flannery

One of the classic works of archaeology, The Early Mesoamerican Village was among the first studies to fully embrace the processual movement of the 1970s. Dancing around an ongoing dialogue on methods and goals between the Real Mesoamerican Archaeologist, the Great Synthesizer, and the Skeptical Graduate Student, it is both a seminal tract on scientific method in archaeology and a series of studies on formative Mesoamerica. It critically evaluates techniques for excavation, sampling of sites and regions, and stylistic analysis, as well as such theoretical factors of explanation as population pressure, trade, and religion and launched similar studies for several later generations of archaeologists. A new Foreword by Jeremy Sabloff is featured in this edition.

Genres: Archaeology, History, Academic, Nonfiction

388 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Kent Vaughn Flannery is a North American archaeologist who has conducted and published extensive research on the pre-Columbian cultures and civilizations of Mesoamerica, and in particular those of central and southern Mexico.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best academic archaeology book ever written. Flannery writes with humor and wit about his subject and makes his study of the early settlements in the Oaxaca valley come to life.