Maya Wars is the first collection of documents devoted entirely to the nineteenth-century Yucatec Mayas. This compilation includes writings by priests, missionaries, Hispanic officials and military officers, foreign travelers and explorers, and the Mayas themselves. It follows the Mayas through the early national republic, the upheavals of the mid-century Caste War (1847-1901), the short-lived period of French Imperialism (1864-1867), and the repressive monoculture of the century's last two decades.Providing an unparalleled window into the daily lives of the rural Mayas, the book covers social organization, religion, family life, agriculture, recreation, military readiness, and medicinal beliefs and practices. In addition, rare captivity narratives offer insight into the experiences of prisoners of war held by Caste War rebels.

Terry Rugeley's concise introductions to the documents and helpful notes place this material in historical and cultural context, and his clear translations of the Spanish and Maya documents into English make them easily readable.