The Basin of Mexico: Ecological Processes in the Evolution of a Civilization

2 volumes: xiv+561+[2 ad] pages with 25 maps of which 12 are folding, tables, illustrations, plates, appendixes and index; 12 folding maps in slipcase. Royal octavo (9 1/2" x 6 3/4") issued in green cloth with white lettering and black decorative vignettes on spine and covers. 1st edition.

This book represents the results of field research conducted over a period of 15 years, from 1960 to 1975, in the Valley of Mexico, more properly the Basin of Mexico. This research was a combination of archaeology, ethnohistory, ethnography and geography. Most of it was conducted as part of a planned long-range project, the Basin of Mexico Survey Project, but included her are a variety of data from a great number of other major projects. In Chapters one and two these other sources are discussed. In terms of structure, the book falls into five major parts. Chapters one through 3 deal essentially with the methodology; Chapters 4 through 7 are essentially data chapters with a minimum of interpretation, and focus on geography, settlement, demography and resource utilization. Chapter eight reconstructs the history of socioeconomic systems based on a combination of the data from survey with excavations. In Chapter nine the implications of the project in terms of broad theoretical concepts in anthropology are discussed. Chapter ten is essentially a plea for future research. References of Maps 1-25, which occur through out the volume, direct the reader to the accompanying box containing the large survey maps.

Condition:

Near fine. Slipcase some light wear but very good.