Presenting the most up-to-date coverage on our knowledge of this society, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures is the first comprehensive and comparative reference source to chronicle Pre-Hispanic, Colonial, and modern Mesoamerica.Written for a wide audience, it is an invaluable reference for interested lay persons, students, teachers, and scholars in such fields as art, archaeology, religious studies, anthropology, Latin American culture, and the history of the region. Organized alphabetically, the articles range from 500-word biographies to 7, 000-word entries on geography and history to the legacy of the arts, writings, architecture, and religious rituals.An extensive network of cross-references, blind entries, and annotated bibliographies guide the reader to related entries within the Encyclopedia and provide the groundwork for further research.