Heterarchy, Political Economy, and the Ancient Maya. Vernon L. Scarborough, Fred ValdezJr. , and Dunning Nicholas, editors. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 2003. xx + 172 pp., halftones, maps, drawings, tables, bibliography, index. $55 (cloth).

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-458
Author(s):  
Nicholas Dunning
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Ancient Maya ◽  
University Of Arizona

Maya political history - Ellen E. Bell, Marcello A. Canuto & Robert J. Sharer (ed.). Understanding Early Classic Copan. xvii+439 pages, 135 figures, 14 colour photographs, 11 tables. 2004. Philadelphia (PA): University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology; 1-931707-51-0 hardback $59.95. - Vernon L. Scarborough, Fred ValdezJr . & Nicholas Dunning (ed.). Heterarchy, political economy, and the ancient Maya: the Three Rivers region of the east-central Yucatán peninsula. xx+172 pages, 54 figures, 4 tables. 2003. Tucson (AZ): University of Arizona Press; 0-8165-2273-1 hardback $55. - Matthew G. Looper. Lightning Warrior: Maya art and kingship at Quirigua. xi+265 pages, 241 figures, 12 tables. 2003. Austin (TX): University of Texas Press; 0-292-70556-5 hardback $59.95. - Arthur A. Demarest, Prudence M. Rice & Don S. Rice (ed.). The Terminal Classic in the Maya lowlands: collapse, transition, and transformation. xix+676 pages, 125 figures, 27 tables. 2004. Boulder (CO): University Press of Colorado; 0-87081-739-6 hardback. - C. Roger Nance, Stephen L. Whittington & Barbara E. Borg with George Guillemin & Sergio Rodas Manrique. Archaeology and ethnohistory of Iximché. xxiv+408 pages, 161 figures, 80 tables. 2003. Gainesville (FL): University Press of Florida; 0-8130-2633-4 hardback $65.

Antiquity ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (303) ◽  
pp. 210-214
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Graham
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
University Of Pennsylvania ◽  
Ancient Maya ◽  
Maya Lowlands ◽  
East Central ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
Terminal Classic ◽  
University Of Arizona ◽  
Three Rivers Region ◽  
Three Rivers

Imagining a Complex Maya Political Economy: Counting Tokens and Currencies in Image, Text and the Archaeological Record

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Freidel ◽  
Marilyn A. Masson ◽  
Michelle Rich
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
The Political ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Ancient Maya ◽  
Multiple Modes ◽  
New Information ◽  
Contextual Associations ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

Exploring the long-term use of accounting practices and currencies by literate and numerate authorities contributes new information regarding the complexity of the political economy of ancient Maya society. Two forms of indirect, yet compelling, lines of evidence for accounting practices and currencies are presented in this article. First, we identify potential accounting devices (counting sticks and tokens) found in the tombs of royal scribes and nobles, based on the contextual associations and depicted uses of similar objects in Maya art such as polychrome vases and murals. Second, we argue that the long-term use and significant standardization of specific shell objects suggests their role as all-purpose monies, in addition to their complementary status as counting devices or numerical symbols. This paper addresses the intricate relationships between symbolism, value and multiple modes of exchange that have long been of interest to cross-cultural studies in anthropology.

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