The World of the Maya provides a comprehensive picture of the magnificent Mayan realm. In this travelogue of his journey through the Guatemalan and Honduran jungles, as well as several Mexican states, Sam Osmanagich transports the reader to ruined Mayan cities, including the brilliant Chichen Itza, elegant Uxmal, artistic Copan, magical Palenque, forgotten Ek Balam, beautiful Izamal, hidden Yaxchilan, spiritual Oxkintok, monumental Coba, and colossal Tikal.

Along the way, crucial questions will finally begin to be answered: How did the Maya come to be located in these jungles? What are the real purposes of their stone monuments? What is the significance of the “sacbe” (the white roads) network in their astronomical and spiritual senses? How did the Maya bridge the technological gap using acoustic engineering in construction? What purpose did an advanced knowledge of the cosmos serve?

Though the Mayan civilization seems to have mysteriously vanished after the ninth century AD, a wealth of information remains carved in the stones of their architectural marvels. The secrets of their brilliantly simple and sophisticated technology—holding the promise of environmentally clean technology and comfortable living in smaller communities—await decoding in the jungles of Central America.