Archeological Tours From Mexico City, by R. H. K. Marett

MEXICO. 
Historic Archeological Tour Guidebook, c. 1930s. 

A Guide to the Principal Archeological Sites of the pre-Spanish Civilizations of Mexico that can conveniently be visited from the Capital. Having been invited to check out a map collection by an individual in the process of clearing out his grandparents’ house (having inherited the house on their passing), he asked if I wanted to see his grandfather’s book collection too. The maps themselves were an incredible lot, boxes on boxes showing clear evidence of a life-time of far flung travels; and so I could only guess that the books followed suit. Well, it was a collection like few we have encountered. This guide was hiding in a pile of vintage periodicals and proved among the top finds of the day. In great shape, if nonetheless feeling a bit fragile, here was an authoritative guide to centuries of the ruins of mighty native civilizations in and around modern Mexico City. Having begun their rule on a timeline similar to the Roman Empire an ocean away, successor civilizations long outlasted the Romans. This guide was designed to serve the curious in an era before the commercialized touring companies of today, who allow even the casual tourist to visit such sites in comfort. In the 1930s, one still had to earn such tourism as included here. Yet despite having been put together by a noted fellow of England’s Royal Anthropological Institute, it allowed the early-mid 20th century tourist to take in these amazing ancient sites without need of a PhD, describing “briefly and untechnically, the archeological sites which belong to the great pre-Spanish civilizations of Mexico and can conveniently be visited from Mexico City.” There are three sections, devoting space to the “Archaic Culture” (dating back to 2000 B.C.E.), the Toltec Culture which emerged from that earlier civilization, built, and inhabited the city of Teotihaucan (their primacy having peaked between the 10th-12th centuries of the common era), with the final section devoted to the more well-known Aztecs, who found themselves the unlucky ones to make first contact with the Spanish (this section comprising 17 of the 23 individual tour sites included in the guide). In many cases, the guide describes site excavations that had only recently begun or were still progressing in the 1930s, sites that have since been more fully interpreted for the tourist of today. There are the remaining sites of the once great city of Tenochtitlan (on which modern Mexico City is built), the pyramids at Tenayuca and Cholula, the temples at Tepozteco and Tizatlan, the Idol of Coatlinchan, and many more. Whether interested in the ancient-seeming tours (from our 21st century perch) described in this c. 1930s guide, or whether your fascination stems from a recent trip, this is one of the finest examples of touring guides from the first-half of the 20th century we have seen kept in fantastic condition by a well-traveled gentleman who was also a pillar of his community (his story shared with us by his grandson). We would love for this treasure to be yours! [Condition: Used Very Good. Again, the binding is quite old; and though holding together well, considering, this should be treated as an antiquarian volume—not an in-field guide! There are only a few age spots on one of the early maps (all pages a semi-gloss finish), but the remainder of visuals (including dozens of B&W photo insets) are clear. There is a minor amount of foxing on page edges, the slightest of shelf wear, and a creative cursive name inscription on the front cover. But overall, this piece of tourism history is in fantastic shape.] 

Condition: Used Very Good. 
Travel / Touring. 
R. H. K. Marett. 
Oxford University Press, c. 1930s. 
Softcover, 117 pgs, 5 x 7.25” / 7 oz