George Lovell's classic work, based primarily on unpublished archival sources, examines the impact of Spanish rule on the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, an isolated region of Guatemala running along the country's north-western border with Mexico. Although Spanish imperialism left its mark, Lovell reveals that the vibrant Maya culture found in the Cuchumatán highlands was not obliterated and, although under considerable stress, endures to this day. This extensively revised third edition includes a new preface, a chapter on native resistance to Spanish domination, an updated bibliography, and an epilogue which documents that postcolonial times had as much effect on people's lives as three centuries of Spanish rule. In discussions that focus on land, settlement, economy, access to resources, and population change over time, Lovell exposes the colonial roots of problems at the heart of Guatemala's ongoing political crises.