Now shrouded in Guatemalan jungle, the ancient Maya city of Piedras Negras flourished between the sixth and ninth centuries, when its rulers erected monumental limestone sculptures carved with hieroglyphic texts and images of themselves and family members, advisers, and captives. In "Engaging Ancient Maya Sculpture at Piedras Negras, Guatemala," Megan E. O Neil offers new ways to understand these stelae, altars, and panels by exploring how ancient Maya people interacted with them.

These monuments, considered sacred, were one of the community s important forms of cultural and religious...