The civilization of the classic Maya (ca. AD 250-900) is one of the most brillant in the anciet world. Among the most notable of the many achievements of the anceint Maya were their sculptured stone monuments that preserve traces of sophisticated writing and calendrical and artistic traditions. These are located at many Classic era centers in the Maya region of lowland Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and Mexico. Some of the finest, and certainly the largest, examples of this splendid scultural tradition are found at Quirigua, a comparatively small Maya center located on the fertile flood plain of the Motagua Valley in northeastern Guatemala.

Sharer presents a detailed guide to the site and its spectacular sculptured monuments. The Quirigua Project was able to combine information from both archaeological and historical sources—the latter gained form recent advances in deciphering the hieroglyphic texts on the Quirigua monuments. Against a background review of the most recent findings pertaining to ancient Maya civilization, the author uses this information to summarize our current understanding of the origins, development, and demise of Quirigua.

"This book provides a much-needed summary of one of the most important sites in the Maya area . . . With this book, Carolina Academic Press has produced a useful work on a site that we all need to be more familiar with. I applaud the publisher's choice and hope that this is only the first of many such publications." — George Stuart (National Geographic Society) in American Antiquity