Mayan Agriculture/forestry

[Vuk]

Hello all, I am doing some research for one of my classes on Mayan Agriclture and Forestry. There are three subjects that I am interested in:
1. Pre-Columbian (and specifically Postclassical) Mayan cultivation of the Cocoa bean and maize in the Northern lowlands of the Yucatán Peninsula
2. Colonial cultivation of Henequen.
3. Early Mayan agricultural land use in general.

I found a few books, but I am really unaware of the scholarship that is out there, and really am not sure where to start. I would appreciate any advice.

[Fisherking]

“Collapse” Jared Diamond and “1491” Charles C. Mann both deal with Mayan Agriculture in sections of their books. That is just off the top of my head.

They would not be bad starting points. Particularly “1491” deals with Milpa crop-growing.

Also:

Nigh, R. (1976) Evolutionary ecology of Maya agriculture in highland Chipas, Mexico. PhD dissertation, Stanford University. Ann Arbor: University microfilms
Bronson, Bennet (1966). "Roots and the Subsistence of the Ancient Maya". Southwestern Journal of Anthropology 22: 251–279.#

Atwood, Roger (2009). "Maya Roots". Archaeology 62 (4): 18.

SCHLESINGER, VICTORIA (2001). Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya: A Guide. Juan C. Chab-Medina (illus.), foreword by Carlos Galindo-Leal. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN#0-292-77759-0. OCLC#46937482


should get you going.

[Vuk]

“Collapse” Jared Diamond and “1491” Charles C. Mann both deal with Mayan Agriculture in sections of their books. That is just off the top of my head.

They would not be bad starting points. Particularly “1491” deals with Milpa crop-growing.

Also:

Nigh, R. (1976) Evolutionary ecology of Maya agriculture in highland Chipas, Mexico. PhD dissertation, Stanford University. Ann Arbor: University microfilms
Bronson, Bennet (1966). "Roots and the Subsistence of the Ancient Maya". Southwestern Journal of Anthropology 22: 251–279.#

Atwood, Roger (2009). "Maya Roots". Archaeology 62 (4): 18.

SCHLESINGER, VICTORIA (2001). Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya: A Guide. Juan C. Chab-Medina (illus.), foreword by Carlos Galindo-Leal. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN#0-292-77759-0. OCLC#46937482


should get you going.

Thanks much Fisherking. 1491 I have already started reading, but the others I did not know about.

[Megas Methuselah]

A study of the real people is always a good topic. Best of luck, buddy.