In recent decades, archaeologists have made enormous progress in revealing the prehistory of the rich and varied civilizations of ancient Mesoamerica. This textbook captures the excitement and rich details of these ancient peoples, surveying every aspect of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica from Paleoindian times (c.1800 BC) to the European intrusion in 1519. It provides up-to-date overviews of the best-known regional cultures, such as those of the Olmecs, Maya, Zapotecs and Aztecs, including exciting new discoveries. But it also offers balanced coverage of other areas of Mesoamerica where important discoveries have been made in recent years, encompassing the developmental trajectory of such regions as West Mexico, Guerrero, the Gulf lowlands, and the northern and southern frontiers of Mesoamerica.