Maya E Groups

David A. Freidel is professor of anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis.Arlen F. Chase is professor of anthropology at Pomona College, Claremont.Anne S. Dowd, archaeologist with the National Park Service, is coeditor of Cosmology, Calendars, and Horizon-Based Astronomy in Ancient Mesoamerica.Jerry Murdock is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Santa Fe Institute and the Aspen Institute.

• List of FiguresList of TablesPreface: On the Path of the SunAcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsPart I. E Groups: Historical Perspectives1. The Distribution and Significance of E Groups: A Historical Background and Introduction —Arlen F. Chase, Anne S. Dowd, and David A. Freidel2. E Groups and the Rise of Complexity in the Southeastern Maya Lowlands —Arlen F. Chase and Diane Z. ChasePart II. The Astronomy and Cosmology of E Groups3. E Groups: Astronomy, Alignments, and Maya Cosmology —Anthony F. Aveni and Anne S. Dowd4. The Legacy of Preclassic Calendars and Solar Observation in Mesoamerica's Magic Latitude — Susan Milbrath5. The E Group as Timescape: Early E Groups, Figurines, and the Sacred Almanac —Prudence M. Rice6. E Groups, Cosmology, and the Origins of Maya Rulership —David A. FreidelPart III. The Archaeology of E Groups7. The Isthmian Origins of the E Group and Its Adoption in the Maya Lowlands —Takeshi Inomata8. A Tale of Two E Groups: El Palmar and Tikal, Peten, Guatemala —James A. Doyle9. The History, Function, and Meaning of Preclassic E Groups in the Cival Region —Francisco Estrada-Belli10. Time to Rule: Celestial Observation and Appropriation among the Early Maya —William A. Saturno, Boris Beltr.n, and Franco D. Rossi11. Ordinary People and East–West Symbolism —Cynthia Robin12. E Groups and Ancestors: The Sunrise of Complexity at Xunantunich, Belize —M. Kathryn Brown13. Of Apples and Oranges: The Case of E Groups and Eastern Triadic Architectural Assemblages in the Belize River Valley —Jaime J. Awe, Julie A. Hoggarth, and James J. Aimers14. The Founding of Yaxuna: Place and Trade in Preclassic Yucatan —Travis W. Stanton15. Founding Landscapes in the Central Karstic Uplands —Kathryn Reese-TaylorPart IV. Conclusion16. More Than Smoke and Mirrors: Maya Temple Precincts and the Emergence of Religious Institutions in Mesoamerica —Anne S. Dowd17. Epilogue: E Groups and Their Significance to the Ancient Maya —Diane Z. Chase, Patricia A. McAnany, and Jeremy A. SabloffList of Contributors

The breadth, detail, and perspectives provided in this volume make it a must for students of complex society and especially Maya scholars."—Latin American Antiquity”An extremely valuable volume that encapsulates the scholarship to date and advances it further for the future. . . . This will be a foundational reference for the next several decades."—Current Anthropology