Handbook of Middle American Indians

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Handbook of Middle American Indians (HMAI) is a sixteen-volume compendium on Mesoamerica, from the prehispanic to late twentieth century. Volumes on particular topics were published from the 1960s and 1970s under the general editorship of Robert Wauchope. [1] Separate volumes with particular volume editors deal with a number of general topics, including archeology, cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, linguistics, with the last four substantive volumes treating various topics in Mesoamerican ethnohistory, under the editorship of Howard F. Cline. Select volumes have become available in e-book format.

Contents

A retrospective review of the HMAI by two anthropologists discusses its history and evaluates it. [2] One review calls it a fundamental work. [3] Another reviewer says "since the first volume of the HMAI appeared in 1964 is far and away the most comprehensive and erudite coverage of native cultures of any region in the Americas." [4] A review in the journal Science says that "There can be little doubt that, like the Handbook of South American Indians , this monumental synthesis will provide a sound basis for new generalizations and will stimulate additional research to fill the gaps in knowledge and understanding that will become apparent. [5]

Starting in 1981, six volumes in the Supplement to the Handbook of Middle American Indians were published under the general editorship of Victoria Bricker. [6]

Volumes

Volume 1. Natural Environment and Early Cultures, Robert C. West, volume editor. (1964)

Volumes 2–3. Archeology of Southern Mesoamerica, Gordon R. Willey, volume editor. (1965)

Volume 4. Archeological Frontiers and External Connections G.F. Ekholm and G. R. Willey, volume editors. (1964)

Volume 5. Linguistics, Norman A. McQuown, volume editor. (1968)

Volume 6. Social Anthropology, Manning Nash, volume editor. (1967)

Volumes 7–8, Ethnology, Evon Z. Vogt, volume editor. (1969)

Volume 7. Introduction (Evon Z. Vogt)

Section I
The Maya
Section II
Southern Mexican Highlands and Adjacent Coastal Regions

Volume 8, Section III: Central Mexican Highlands

Section IV
Western Mexico
Section V
Northwest Mexico

Volumes 6 & 7 were reviewed when the appeared. One reviewer highlights several articles, including those by Eric R. Wolf, Angel Palerm, and Willilam Sanders, but he goes on to say "These volumes are ... more valuable for reference than for reading. Sections dealing with distribution, history, and bibliography are very useful, but sections dealing with social structure or the character of the peoples generally fail to provide integrated analyses indicating the essential features." [7]

Volume 9. Physical Anthropology, T.D. Stewart, volume editor. (1970)

Volume 10–11. Archeology of Northern Mesoamerica, G. F. Ekholm and Ignacio Bernal, volume editors. (1971)

Volumes 12–15, Guide to Ethnohistorical Sources, Howard F. Cline, Volume editor.

Volume 12, Guide to Ethnohistorical Sources, Part 1. (1972)

Volume 13. Guide to Ethnohistorical Sources, Part 2. (1973)

Volume 14. Guide to Ethnohistorical Sources Part 3. (1975)

Volume 15. Guide to Ethnohistorical Sources Part 4. (1975)

Volume 16. Sources Cited and Artifacts Illustrated. Margaret A.L. Harrison, volume editor. (1976) – Bibliography for all volumes.

Supplement to the Handbook of Middle American Indians

General Editor, Victoria Bricker

See also

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References

  1. Robert Wauchope, general editor. ‘’Handbook of Middle American Indians’’, 16 volumes. Austin: University of Texas Press
  2. Marcus, Joyce; Spores, Ronald (1978). "The Handbook of Middle American Indians: A Retrospective Look". American Anthropologist. 80 (1): 85–100. doi:10.1525/aa.1978.80.1.02a00060. JSTOR   673513.
  3. Berthe, J.-P. (1966). "Un ouvrage fondamental: le 'Handbook of Middle American Indians'". Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales. 21 (1): 229–230. doi:10.1017/S0395264900110856. JSTOR   27576567. S2CID   195463373.
  4. Colston, Stephen A. (1977). "Review of Handbook of Middle American Indians. Volume 16. Sources Cited and Artifacts Illustrated". The Americas. 33 (4): 679–680. doi:10.2307/980885. JSTOR   980885. S2CID   147509596.
  5. Woodbury, Richard B. (1965). "Handbook of Middle American Indians". Science. 148 (3671): 798–800. doi:10.1126/science.148.3671.798. JSTOR   1716362.
  6. Victoria Bricker, ‘’Supplement to the Handbook of Middle American Indians’’. 6 vols. Austin: University of Texas Press 1981-2000).[ non-primary source needed ]
  7. Dessaint, Alain Y. (October 1971). "Robert Wauchope, gen. ed. Handbook of Middle American Indians. (Vol. 6, Social Anthropology. Manning Nash, ed.). (Vols. 6 and 7, Evon Z. Vogt, ed.). Austin: University of Texas Press, 1967 and 1969. Vol. 6: viii, 597 pp. $15.00. Vols. 7 and 8: viii, 965 pp. $15.00". Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs. 13 (3–4): 537–538. doi:10.2307/174943. JSTOR   174943.