History of the Spanish Conquest of Yucatan and of the Itzas Papers of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Hard University. Vol. VII.

The volume brings together newly translated excerpts from several early Spanish eyewitnesses to the conquest of Yucatán and the Itza kingdom of Tayasal. Drawing on photographic reproductions of rare manuscripts—most notably Fray Andrés de Avendaño’s account of his journey to Petén and Fray Alonso Cano’s report on Guatemala—the work presents these sources side by side with the writings of Diego Cogolludo and Juan de Villagutierre. The translations, prepared by Charles Bowditch and Guillermo Rivera, are accompanied by clear notes that explain obscure spellings and linguistic quirks.

Means organizes the material to illuminate the early contact between Spanish forces and the Maya polities, highlighting both the military strategies and the cultural misunderstandings that shaped the encounter. Readers will find concise explanations of place names, ritual artifacts, and the political organization of the Itzas, making the text a practical entry point for students of anthropology and colonial history. The scholarly tone remains accessible, allowing listeners to hear the distant voices of the 16th‑century explorers without getting lost in archaic prose.