Temple of the Night Sun: A Royal Maya Tomb at El Diablo, Guatemala

Excellant,very richly illustrated book.From discovery to excavation to analysis of the artifacts it is extremely in depth and gives you a step by step viewpoint as if you were looking over the shoulder of the archaeologists as they tunnel into the site..With the detail involved it is almost as if it was written by archaeologists for archaeologists.This is the only book that I have ever read that goes into such minute detail about the exact process of an archaeological dig.As a lay person the section on the chemical analysis of the objects in the tomb was way over my head but it was interesting nevertheless.Coffee table size with numerous high quality photographs and printed on the best paper.A must buy if you are interested in the Mayan culture.

Excellent book on the royal Maya tomb found at the El Diablo complex at El Zotz in the Peten, Guatemala in July 2010.

Much better than Your The Life Within book. Like way better. Interesting journey through an archaeological find.

I rated Temple of the night 5 stars for several reasons.The production and design by Joel Skidmore and Chip Breitwieser literally gives you a birds eye view into all of the " logistical and interpretive challenges" pertaining to an excavation of a royal tomb. Precolumbia Mesoweb has always complemented the subject matter with unbelievable pictures( Maya Archaeology 2 and 3 are excellent examples of their work). Secondly,to be honest I struggled with the Osteology, lithics and minerals and the microwear analysis chapters, however, I have gained a tremendous appreciation regarding all of the sciences involved to obtain its conclusions.The book takes your hand and methodically walks you from entering the tomb to burial offerings, interpretation and conclusion. The highlight was the iconography, epigraphy and the mythology that led Steve Houston and his colleagues to their final conclusions.As a lay student of Mayan Studies I came away with an appreciation for the work and dedication that was put into this excavation so that others might get an opportunity to understand what a royal tomb meant to the ancient Maya. FASCINATING!

Stephen Houston and his colleagues have produced the most beautifully illustrated and intelligently analyzed excavation report ever published of a great royal Maya tomb. This 4th century grandee was interred with a magnificent array of stunning Classic Maya pottery and perishable, stucco-covered gourd vessels, as well as with horrific offerings of sacrificed human children. To house this great man's remains, ancient Maya architects and artists had erected a funerary tempe,decorated on its façades with large stucco reliefs centering on the worship of the "Night Sun". This splendid volume is a must for everyone interested in this great tropical forest civilization, and the early centuries of its development. It is a joy to the eye.

The photos & depth of interpretation are superb. Highly recommend.

Temple of the Night Sun sets a new standard for the publication of an important archaeological context. The entire book is dedicated to a single building and the tomb it contained, lavishly illustrated and loaded with data. Literally every page is illustrated, printed in color, for an overall effect that manages to capture the best of a traditional excavation report and a glossy spread in National Geographic.