Mexican cities of the Gods, an archaeological Guide, Hans Helfritz

Mexican cities of the Gods, an archaeological Guide, Hans Helfritz

Mexico is extraordinarily rich in the archaeological remains of vanished pre-Columbian cultures. Ruined pyramids and temples appear throughout the country, and clearing of the dense jungle growth has revealed cities that have become world-famous, whose remarkable buildings now stand exposed in the landscape.

Hans Helfritz has amassed a wealth of material during his many expeditions to the temples of ancient Mexico, and he is one of the few people to have gathered knowledge of these archaeological sites on the spot. His description is divided geographically into three sections devoted to the religious monuments of the Plateau, Gulf Coast, and South of Mexico. On the Plateau, we are introduced to the once mighty cities of Teotihuacán and Tula, the fascinating Aztec cliff temple of Malinalco, and the mountain stronghold of Xochicalco. Among the wonders of the Gulf Coast area are the gigantic stone heads and beautifully carved jade objects of the mysterious Olmec people, as well as the marvelous site of El Tajín, whose seven-tiered pyramid is one of the most spectacular in pre-Columbian America. The southern regions offer to the traveler the cities of the Mixtecs and Zapotecs and, on the Yucatán Peninsula, those of the Mayas: among others, Palenque, Uxmal, and Chichén-Itzá, with their magnificent temple-pyramids and impressive sculptural works.

In each section, the author gives a precise account of what remains to be seen in each locality, with explicit directions on the best means of reaching it. The systematic arrangement of the material, which includes excellent illustrations and a wealth of maps and diagrams, makes the book eminently comprehensible even to those without prior knowledge of the country. Mexican cities of the Gods provides an essential introduction to the fascinating history of the ancient civilizations of Mexico, as well as a reliable guide to their monumental remains that is based on practical experience.

THE AUTHOR: Hans Helfritz was the first European to cross the western part of South Arabia from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea, when a decision to study Eastern folk music brought him to the Orient. He was also the first foreigner to visit Shabwa, the famous ruined city of the ancient empire of Sheba. Those travels awoke his interest in ethnological and archaeological exploration at a time when Central and South America offered unlimited opportunities for discovery. Shortly before World War II, he lived in Chile, which he used as a base for a number of expeditions to Peru and Bolivia, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica, Easter Island, and West Africa and Ethiopia. His subsequent chief interest, however, was in Mexico, through which he has traveled frequently and extensively.

The photographs in the book were taken by the author.

Details

• Hardcover with dust jacket (has a repaired tear on the front side)
• ISBN: 0275025268 - 9780275025267
• Condition: Very Good 
• Publisher: Frederick A. Praeger