Shrouded in mythology and mystery, and often exclusively the focus of academic and archaeological exploration, the ancient Maya remain relatively misunderstood by contemporary culture: you need look no further the endless string of 2012-focused alarmist texts that topped last year's best-seller lists, or commercialized ointments and potions touting antiquated Mayan cures, to experience firsthand the general misconceptions about this extraordinary civilization. Peter D. Harrison's text, The Lords of Tikal: Rulers of an Ancient Maya City, seeks to make the history of this ancient society accessible by examining the impressive civilization that evolved and thrived in the city of Tikal. Discovered in 1850, the site is the most visited tourist attraction in Guatemala and reached its apogee during the Classic period, between 200 and 900 AD. The text, enriched by dozens of impressive photographs, maps, drawings and graphs, addresses to both laypeople and Mayanists, while revealing the otherwise dense and complicated findings of both the University of Pennsylvania and the Maya....