Search for the Maya: The Story of Stephens and Catherwood

365 pp. "Before 1840, no one really knew who the Maya were or where they came from. In 1839 Stephens and Catherwood hacked their way through the jungle of Central America to explore and discover the remains of the mysterious Maya civilization. These two talented nineteenth century explorers formed a remarkable combination. Stephens, an American lawyer, was an unusually fine writer, and Catherwood, an English architect, was an accomplished artist of renown. In this absorbing biographical account, enriched by Catherwood's brilliant illustrations, Victor von Hagen traces the eventful lives of the two protagonists as explorers in Egypt and the Middle East, the drama and excitement, adventure and hardship of their arduous journey to the heart of the ancient Maya civilization."--jacket