When the Spanish under Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico in 1519, they found central Mexico dominated by the mighty Aztec empire. However, for over two millennia before this many great cultures had appeared and then vanished from the soil of Mexico and Mesoamerica in general.

This book chronicles the history of all the major cultures in Mexico's history; from the Olmecs, through the Zapotecs, Teotihuacán, the Maya, Toltecs and Aztecs.

It is profusely illustrated with photographs of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums taken by the author on a journey through Mexico in March and April 2013. Often it is the case that some time after such a trip, much of the information learned is forgotten. This book is an attempt to prevent this happening by bringing together all the information gleaned from knowledgeable guides, information boards at sites and in museums, and from reading various books before and after the visit. Hopefully this provides interesting text and informative captions for the images.