"This illustrated volume recounts the adventurous life of Frederick Catherwood, the English artist who discovered lost Mayan cities in the jungles of Central America and the Yucatan plateau in the early 19th century. In 1839 Catherwood and his American companion, John Lloyd Stephens, were the first Westerners to view the immense terraces, fabulous temples, and palaces that had been inexplicably abandoned ten centuries earlier. These cities were unknown even to the Spanish conquistadors.

Stephens's lively travel diaries, superbly illustrated by Catherwood, recounting their extraordinary archaeological discovery, were published in 1841 and 1843. Based on these journals and extensive research, the author, Fabio Bourbon, has pieced together Catherwood's fascinating biography, which has been shrouded in mystery until now.".

"Catherwood's other adventures are also described - his first trips to Europe and Egypt, further expeditions to Central America, and finally his experiences in California. This intriguing book about an intrepid but little-known adventurer/artist will appeal to anyone interested in exploration, architecture, and archaeology."--BOOK JACKET.