John Lloyd Stephens

Idol at Copan by Frederick Catherwood 1841

Also in this month's (December) edition of American History is a good article on John Lloyd Stephens. Unfortunately the article is not available electronically but the magazine should be on the news stands for a while. Stephens was the explorer who in the early 1840's first brought to the attention of a wide audience the Mayan ruins in Central America with his two travel books

Incidents of Travel in Yucatan by John Lloyd Stephens and illustrated by Frederick Catherwood Suggested

Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan by John Lloyd Stephens and illustrated by Frederick Catherwood Suggested

While the language, views and style are a little archaic, there is a certain freshness that is appealing. If there is anyone amongst young adults interested in archaeology, this might be an intriguing tidbit to put in front of them. The illustrations are a big part of the allure of the book. They make you feel as if you were there, back when it was all fresh and untrammeled.