Alfred Percival Maudslay (18 March 1850 – 22 January 1931) was a British colonial administrator and archaeologist. He pioneered the careful archaeological study of the Maya ruins and the results of his field work were presented in Biologia Centrali-Americana: Archaeology (1889–1902). The massive five volume set continues to serve as an important work of reference for the study of Maya culture. In 1908, he made a complete translation, with annotations, of Bernal Díaz del Castillo's Historia. His translation remains the standard English edition.

Maudslay was born into a wealthy family at Lower Norwood Lodge, near London, on 18 March 1850. He was the eighth of nine children born to Joseph Maudslay and Anna Maria, née Johnson. His grandfather was the eminent engineer Henry Maudslay, founder of the family engineering firm. After attending Harrow School, Maudslay studied natural sciences at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and obtained a BA in 1872.

While at Cambridge, Maudslay studied comparative anatomy with John Willis Clark who was also an archaeologist.They remained friends after graduation and Clark may have influenced Maudslay's future pursuit of the subject. Maudslay also became acquainted with Osbert Salvin, a well-known ornithologist.

Upon graduation, Maudslay enrolled in medical school, but deferred his studies and travelled with his brother instead. They toured Central America, Mexico and parts of the United States, including the recently established Yosemite Park. After returning home, Maudslay again postponed medical school and travelled to Iceland in 1873. Afterwards, his chronic bronchitis led him to drop plans for a medical career and leave England for a warmer climate.

In 1874, Maudslay travelled to Jamaica with the intention of establishing a tobacco plantation. An outbreak of yellow fever on the island forced him to change plans and head for Trinidad. On his way there he made the acquaintance of William Cairns, a colonial administrator who was assuming the governorship of Trinidad. Cairn convinced Maudslay to take a job as his personal secretary. A short time later, he transferred with Cairns to Queensland, Australia.

Maudslay found Cairns difficult to work for, and in 1875 he moved to Fiji to work with Arthur Gordon, its governor, and helped in the campaign against rebellious local tribes. Later he served as British consul in Tonga and Samoa.

While in the South Pacific, Maudsley became interested in the collection of ethnographic materials. Eventually, his donation of these materials to Cambridge contributed to the formation of the University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Before he left the region, Maudsley was thinking seriously of pursuing an interest in archaeology. His Cambridge friend, ornithologist Osbert Salvi, encouraged him to explore the Maya ruins of Quiriguá and Copán.

In February 1880, Maudslay resigned from the colonial service to pursue his own interests, having spent six years in the British Pacific colonies. He then joined his siblings in Calcutta during their round-the-world trip, returned to Britain in December, and then set out for Guatemala via British Honduras.