Time Portal: The World of the First Maya is a Guidebook on a journey that contains many startling Facts to show: Where the Maya people started their voyage to the new world in MesoAmericaWho appeared to the natives, built a City, and became a God Why the Maya fashioned Time and the Calendar as circular, not linearWhen settlers and traders from international roots came to live among them in One cultureRead about incredible archaeological discoveries to show that the Maya were adept at using techniques and materials, unknown to the Western world for centuries! Discover briefly, the latter decades of the Maya civilization, before the arrival of the Spaniards! Illustrations by the Author give the reader a sense of what Mayans celebrated, and how they were dressed to impress.

In the heart of Guatemala in the legendary city of Tikal, tourists Derick and Matt stumble upon an ancient portal that thrusts them and their tour guide Kaya back to 900 AD - the height of power for the Maya civilization. The trio is soon confronted by the ruthless Maya leader Yax Ehb Xook and his loyal warriors, who threaten the group's ability to survive and escape back to the present day. Using their wits and knowledge of Maya culture and history, the trio must return to the portal before they become forever entwined in the tapestry of time. The Maya Portal is a gripping tale of time travel, history, and the pursuit of a way back home. ==================================== "John Tomasko does what every great novelist does - he tells a good story and he tells it well. His imaginative tale grabs the reader and holds on 'til the climactic last scene, taking us on a journey to the heights of the Maya culture. In the telling of his story, John gives us characters whom we come to care about, and we follow them through a wild adventure of time travel and human sacrifice. He brings to life the incredible nights in ancient Tikal when the jungle was lit with huge bonfires, and the blood of innocents flowed down the pyramid steps to satisfy the many gods of the Maya. The story swirls around and around, and the reader, like me, may have trouble putting the book down until the story is complete. Enjoy!" Daniel N. Spatucci author, Ether Flows "The Maya Portal is a gut-churning time-warping novel that plunges you into the heart of Mesoamerica at the height of an ancient and mighty civilization. Author John Tomasko constructs a convincing, suspenseful, and satisfying saga that will keep you turning pages far into the ominous night." Deke Castleman editor, Huntington Press "Ancient Maya civilization and the modern world smash into each other in this wildly original story." Charles Nolan author, The Holy Bluff / songwriter

The world's foremost expert on Maya culture looks at 2012 hysteria and explains the truth about what the Maya meant and what we want to believe. Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation into Civilizations End. The World Cataclysm in 2012. 2012: The return of Quetzalcoatl. According to many of these alarmingly titled books, the ancient Maya not only had a keen insight into the mystical workings of our planet and the cosmos, but they were also able to predict that the world will end in the year 2012. David Stuart, the foremost scholar of the Maya and recipient of numerous awards for his work, takes a hard look at the frenzy over 2012 and offers a fascination (and accurate) trip through Mayan culture and belief. Stuart shows how the idea that the "end of the Mayan calendar," which supposedly heralds the end of our own existence, says far more about our culture than about the ancient Maya. The Order of Days explores how the real intellectual achievement of ancient Maya timekeeping and worldview is far more impressive and remarkable than any of the popular, and often outrageous, claims about this advanced civilization. As someone who has studied the Maya for nearly all of his life and who specializes in reading their ancient texts, Stuart sees the 2012 hubbub as the most recent in a long chain of related ideas about Mesoamericans, the Maya in particular, that depicts them as somehow oddball, not "of this world," or as having some strong mystical link to other realms. Because the year 2012 has no prominent role in anything the ancient Maya ever actually wrote, Stuart takes a wider look at the Maya concepts of time and their underlying philosophy as we can best understand them. The ancient Maya, Stuart contends, were worthy of study and admiration not because they were strange but because they were altogether human, and they developed a compelling vision of time unlike any other civilization before or since.

Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya offers an A-to-Z overview of the ancient Maya culture from its inception around 3000 BC to the Spanish Conquest after AD 1600. Over two hundred entries written by more than sixty researchers explore subjects ranging from food, clothing, and shelter to the sophisticated calendar and now-deciphered Maya writing system. They bring special attention to environmental concerns and climate variation; fresh understandings of shifting power dynamics and dynasties; and the revelations from emerging field techniques (such as LiDAR remote sensing) and newly explored sites (such as La Corona, Tamchen, and Yaxnohkah). This one-volume reference is an essential companion for students studying ancient civilizations, as well as a perfect resource for those planning to visit the Maya area. Cross-referencing, topical and alphabetical lists of entries, and a comprehensive index help readers find relevant details. Suggestions for further reading conclude each entry, while sidebars profile historical figures who have shaped Maya research. Maps highlight terrain, archaeological sites, language distribution, and more; over fifty photographs complement the volume.

Who were the leaders of the ancient Maya? How did their political system work? Readers will learn the answers to these questions and more as they explore the evidence left behind by the ancient Maya. Primary sources, such as artifacts, ruins, and ancient artwork, will give readers a strong grasp on the political system that governed the ancient Maya. Readers will enjoy reading about ancient kings who were treated like gods. Color photographs of what the Maya left behind are paired with accessible text to introduce readers to the Maya’s unique and fascinating beliefs and politics.

Exploring Maya Ritual Caves offers a rare survey and explication of most of the known ancient Maya ritual caves in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. The caves were the Maya underworld, where rituals, including animal and human sacrifice, were carried out. The Maya cave cult and mythology, construction and modification of the caves, and cult art and artifacts are discussed. Chládek, an intrepid explorer, then describes important caves that he has recently visited and provides photos of their wonders.