In a vast region of Mesoamerica which includes part of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, the Mayan people created one of the most original and impressive ancient civilizations which developed over more than 2,000 years. This work explains in detail the diverse aspects of this great culture, from the different trades and social conditions of Mayan society, its political organization, its economy, to the organization of its magnificent and spectacular cities, sumptuously decorated with painting and sculpture, including one of the ancient world’s most complex systems of writing, numbering and calendar and an intricate religion that permeated practically all aspects of existence. The work ends with an overview of the most important chroniclers, explorers, researchers and archeologists who have studied this civilization. The authors, well-known specialists, have brought together the most up-to-date information on the Mayas from a 21st-century perspective. Each chapter includes relevant illustrations accompanied by well-documented and explanatory texts.