Background
John was born on November 28, 1805 in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, United States, the son of Benjamin and Clemence (Lloyd) Stephens.
(Both volumes of John Lloyd Stephens epic accounts of the ...)
Both volumes of John Lloyd Stephens epic accounts of the Yucatan are united in this single volume, complete with over 100 illustrations of encounters on his journeys in Central America. Prior to the 1840s, when J. L. Stephens published this superb account of his explorations, the Yucatan was only crudely charted by Western explorers. Yet their descriptions of the odd ruins and beautiful landscape intrigued the young John Lloyd Stephens, who spent years yearning to explore and better chart the faraway lands. After a number of years spent traversing Europe and Egypt, Stephens was in 1839 commissioned as a Special Ambassador to the Central Americas. Accompanied by his friend, the architect and draughtsman Frederick Catherwood, Stephens set off for the wilderness of the Yucatan, landing in what is today Belize. It wasn't long before the pair encountered the first Mayan ruins: the city of Copan. Captivated by the unique architecture and distinctive cultural remnants, the two pressed further inland. Accounts of the cities of Palenque, Quiriguá and Uxmal are included in this edition, which reprints the many illustrations Frederick Catherwood made of the buildings, items and landscapes encountered. The great temples of the Mayan cities, the detailing of Mayan seals and monuments, as well as the stone houses of those in the upper strata of society, were drawn with an intricate and accurate detail. Prior to Stephens publishing the accounts of his travels, it was assumed the structures found in Central America had simply been assembled by either Europeans or Asian visitors. It was not until Stephens' immense detailing of the artistic and architectural accomplishments that the Mayans were confirmed as a civilization of great sophistication. The two also noticed the calendar and numerical system the Mayans developed, but it was not until much later that this knowledge was fully deciphered. Following Stephens' explorations, the Mesoamericas became a place of great interest to North American and European intellectuals. Numerous expeditions and archaeological treks were encouraged by his findings, and today many of the sites visited by Stephens are popular tourist destinations.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Travel-Yucatan-Vols-Illustrated-ebook/dp/B0782XZKSY?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0782XZKSY
( Title: Incidents of travel in Central America, Chiapas,...)
Title: Incidents of travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan ... Illustrated by numerous engravings ... Twelfth edition. Publisher: British Library, Historical Print Editions The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC. The HISTORY OF TRAVEL collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. This collection contains personal narratives, travel guides and documentary accounts by Victorian travelers, male and female. Also included are pamphlets, travel guides, and personal narratives of trips to and around the Americas, the Indies, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Stephens, John Lloyd; Catherwood, Frederick; 1854. 8º. 808.ff.2.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Central-Illustrated-numerous-engravings/dp/1241425493?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1241425493
( About the Book The Middle East is at the crossroads of ...)
About the Book The Middle East is at the crossroads of Eurasia, Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. It has been a major centre of world events from early times and is considered a cradle of civilisation. Early civilisations like Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt grew out of the Middle East. There are many religions in the Middle East and the region has spawned many of the known world religions. The climate in the Middle East is predominantly hot, with major rivers providing irrigation, these being the Nile, Tigris and Euphrates. About us Leopold Classic Library has the goal of making available to readers the classic books that have been out of print for decades. While these books may have occasional imperfections, we consider that only hand checking of every page ensures readable content without poor picture quality, blurred or missing text etc. That's why we: • republish only hand checked books; • that are high quality; • enabling readers to see classic books in original formats; that • are unlikely to have missing or blurred pages. You can search "Leopold Classic Library" in categories of your interest to find other books in our extensive collection. Happy reading!
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Travel-Greece-Turkey-Volumes/dp/B01B8ENF62?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01B8ENF62
( Few explorers have had the experience of uncovering a c...)
Few explorers have had the experience of uncovering a civilization almost entirely unknown to the world. But Stephen's two expeditions to Mexico and Central America in 1839 and 1841 yielded the first solid information on the culture of the Maya Indians. In this work, and in his other masterpiece Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, he tells the story of his travels to some 50 ruined Mayan cities. In this book, he describes the excitement of exploring the magnificent ruined cities of Copan and Palenque, and his briefer excursions to Quirigua, Patinamit, Utatlan, Gueguetenango, Ocosingo, and Uxmal. For all these cities, his details are so accurate that more recent explorers used the book as a Baedeker to locate ruins forgotten by even the Indians. In addition to being a great book on archaeological discovery, Stephen's work is also a great travel book. Telling of journeying by mule back on narrow paths over unimaginable deep ravines, through sloughs of mud and jungles of heavy vegetation, describing dangers of robbery, revolution, fever, mosquitoes and more exotic insects, Stephen's narrative remains penetrating and alive. His account of his attempt to buy Copan for $50 is told with the adroitness of a Mark Twain, and his descriptions of Indian life — primitive villages a few miles from the ruins, burials, treatment of the sick, customs, amusements, etc. — never lose their interest. Frederick Catherwood's illustrations virtually double the appeal of the book. Highly exact, remarkably realistic drawings show overall views, ground plans of the cities, elevations of palaces and temples, free-standing sculpture, carved hieroglyphics, stucco bas-reliefs, small clay figures, and interior details.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Central-America-Chiapas-Yucatan/dp/048622404X?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=048622404X
(Excerpt from Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chia...)
Excerpt from Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan, Vol. 1 of 2 Tm: author is indebted to Mr. Van Buren, late Pres ident of the United States, for the Opportunity of pre. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Central-America-Chiapas-Yucatan/dp/1333234740?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1333234740
(This work has been selected by scholars as being cultural...)
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Central-America-Chiapas-Yucatan/dp/1354556569?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1354556569
(This work has been selected by scholars as being cultural...)
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Travel-Yucatan-Illustrated-Engravings/dp/1346236623?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1346236623
(Excerpt from Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petraea...)
Excerpt from Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petraea, and the Holy Land The Tomb of Rachel. First View of Jerusalem. Falling among Thieves. Potent Sway of the Pacha. A Turkish Dignitary. A Missionary. Easter in Jerusalem. A little Congregation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Travel-Petraea-Classic-Reprint/dp/1332589456?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1332589456
(4 works of John Lloyd Stephens American explorer, writer,...)
4 works of John Lloyd Stephens American explorer, writer, and diplomat (1805-1852) This ebook presents a collection of 4 works of John Lloyd Stephens. A dynamic table of contents allows you to jump directly to the work selected. Table of Contents: - Incidents of Travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland Volume I - Incidents of Travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland Volume II - Incidents of Travel in Yucatan Volume I - Incidents of Travel in Yucatan Volume II
https://www.amazon.com/Works-John-Lloyd-Stephens-ebook/dp/B00C4DRLG2?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00C4DRLG2
(A lively, eloquent guide to the Maya ruins of Mexico's Yu...)
A lively, eloquent guide to the Maya ruins of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, as entertaining today as when it was first published in 1843, Stephens' guide recounts his two trips made to the region between 1839 and 1842. It includes extensive accounts of 44 Maya sites as well as of Yucatan folkways, manners, dress, ceremonies, amusements—all of which makes this a great travel book. Now published in a single-volume edition, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan captures for the modern reader and traveler the excitement of archaeological exploration and discovery.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Travel-Yucatan-Abridged-Stephens/dp/1560986514?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1560986514
(Edgar Allan Poe called it “perhaps the most interesting t...)
Edgar Allan Poe called it “perhaps the most interesting travel book ever published.” Here, complete in one volume, is the classic real-life adventure―originally published across two volumes in 1841―that mesmerized readers with its evocative descriptions of journeys in Mesoamerica. With a wandering spirit mellowed by an analytic eye, American diplomat and writer JOHN LLOYD STEPHENS (1805–1852) introduced Westerners to the mysteries of the Yucatan in this contemporary bestseller, riveting armchair explorers with his lyrical account of visits to 44 Maya sites, including the then-unknown Chichen Itza and Uxmal. Complete with all the beautiful original illustrations by English artist and architect FREDERICK CATHERWOOD (1799–1854), this is essential reading for those fascinated by Mesoamerican culture as well as those under the thrall of an itch to see the world.
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Travel-Yucatan-Cosimo-Classics/dp/1605203793?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1605203793
John was born on November 28, 1805 in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, United States, the son of Benjamin and Clemence (Lloyd) Stephens.
When his family moved to New York City, Stephens received an education in the Classics at two privately tutored schools there. At the age of 13 he enrolled at Columbia College. He was graduated in 1822, and then read law with Daniel Lord and attended the law school at Litchfield, Connecticut, then conducted by James Gould.
At the age of twenty Stephens gratified his incurable wanderlust for the first time by journeying to Arkansas, to visit an aunt. Returning to New York, he was soon admitted to the bar, practised law for eight years, and gained some repute as a Tammany orator. The law bored him, however, and when in 1834 his doctor suggested a sea voyage as a cure for an affection of the throat, he gladly followed the prescription and spent the next two years seeking the unusual in the Mediterranean and in eastern Europe.
Some of his letters, appearing in Hoffman's American Monthly Magazine, were so well received that in 1837 he published Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petraea, and the Holy Land, in two volumes; this was followed by Incidents of Travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland (2 vols. , 1838).
Overnight, he became known as "the American traveler. "
His main interest was in the ruins in Honduras, Guatemala, and Yucat n. At Cop n, Uxmal, Palenque, and elsewhere, Catherwood with his pencil and Stephens in words portrayed the ancient ruins. Stephens lacked the thorough scholarly background necessary for sound speculations upon their origin; his chief function was to advertise them in attractive form and thus arouse further interest. Always whimsical, he purchased all of Cop for fifty dollars and considered moving some of the monuments to New York. A result of this trip was his Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan (2 vols. , 1841), with sixty-five plates by Catherwood.
In 1841 they returned for a more intensive study and published in 1843 two further volumes, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan. It is said that by the time of Stephens' death, there had been published 21, 000 copies of the Egypt; 12, 000 of the Greece; 15, 000 of the Central America and 9, 750 of the Yucatan (Ibid. , p. 65). Stephens next became a promoter and director of the Ocean Steam Navigation Company, which started a line to Bremen in 1847 and was the first to take advantage of the government subsidies to mail steamships.
Stephens went to Bremen on the maiden voyage of the Washington. The company was soon eclipsed by the subsidy line of Edward K. Collins. Stephens was also an active supporter of the Hudson River Railroad.
He then succeeded Thomas W. Ludlow as president and threw himself wholeheartedly into the enterprise, spending two winters in personally supervising the surveys and the preliminary work. Returning in the spring of 1852, he was attacked by a disease doubtless contracted in that dangerous climate, and died in New York City.
(A lively, eloquent guide to the Maya ruins of Mexico's Yu...)
(Both volumes of John Lloyd Stephens epic accounts of the ...)
(4 works of John Lloyd Stephens American explorer, writer,...)
(This work has been selected by scholars as being cultural...)
(This work has been selected by scholars as being cultural...)
( Few explorers have had the experience of uncovering a c...)
( About the Book The Middle East is at the crossroads of ...)
(Excerpt from Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petraea...)
(Edgar Allan Poe called it “perhaps the most interesting t...)
(Excerpt from Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chia...)
( Title: Incidents of travel in Central America, Chiapas,...)
He was a born raconteur, had a zest for exploring the unusual.
Quotes from others about the person
According to Hawks Stephens was "with a quick and keen observation, an appreciative and good-natured sense of the ludicrous, and a remarkable facility of retaining vividly to the last the freshness of first impressions".