In this rich and surprising book, Frances F. Berdan shines fresh light on the enigmatic ancient Aztecs. She casts her net wide, covering topics as diverse as ethnicity, empire-building, palace life, etiquette, origin myths, and human sacrifice. While the Aztecs are often described as “stone age,” their achievements were remarkable. They constructed lofty temples and produced fine arts in precious stones, gold, and shimmering feathers. They crafted beautiful poetry and studied the sciences. They had schools and libraries, entrepreneurs and money, and a bewildering array of deities and dramatic ceremonies. Based on the latest research and lavishly illustrated, this book reveals the Aztecs to have created a civilization of sophistication and finesse.

The Aztecs

Illuminates the complexities of Aztec life. Readers meet a people highly skilled in sculpture, astronomy, city planning, poetry, and philosophy, who were also profoundly committed to cosmic regeneration through the thrust of the ceremonial knife and through warfare.

Introduces the history, daily life, religion, social customs, and inventions of the Aztecs, along with descriptions of Tenochtitlan, its largest city.

Recreates the culture of the city of Tenochtitlan in its last unthreatened years before it fell to the Spaniards.

Aztecs

"In only two centuries, the Aztecs conquered an area from the present location of Mexico City to both coasts of Mexico. They built a city that inspired awe in the Spanish invaders; built irrigation canals, aqueducts, and roads; developed productive agricultural techniques; produced art and architecture that is still admired; had one of the few writing systems in pre-Columbian America; and were accomplished mathematicians and astronomers. The Aztecs details not just the well-known aspects of war and empire, but also the whole of Aztec life. It draws on a wealth of information to present the first balanced and complete account of one of the great New World cultures."--BOOK JACKET.

The origins of a civilizationThe great capitals of the classic periodFrom the fall of the classic states to the rise of the Toltec stateThe populations of the northThe Aztecs.ChronologyThe origins of a civilizationThe great capitals of the classic periodFrom the fall of the classic states to the rise of the Toltec stateThe populations of the northThe Aztecs.

Presents an overview of the Aztec culture, discussing their government, recreation, trade, travel, family life, food, occupations, and entertainment.

The Oxford Handbook of the Aztecs, the first of its kind, provides a current overview of recent research on the Aztec empire, the best documented prehispanic society in the Americas. Chapters span from the establishment of Aztec city-states to the encounter with the Spanish empire and the Colonial period that shaped the modern world. Articles in the Handbook take up new research trends and methodologies and current debates. The Handbook articles are divided into seven parts. Part I, Archaeology of the Aztecs, introduces the Aztecs, as well as Aztec studies today, including the recent practice of archaeology, ethnohistory, museum studies, and conservation. The articles in Part II, Historical Change, provide a long-term view of the Aztecs starting with important predecessors, the development of Aztec city-states and imperialism, and ending with a discussion of the encounter of the Aztec and Spanish empires. Articles also discuss Aztec notions of history, writing, and time. Part III, Landscapes and Places, describes the Aztec world in terms of its geography, ecology, and demography at varying scales from households to cities. Part IV, Economic and Social Relations in the Aztec Empire, discusses the ethnic complexity of the Aztec world and social and economic relations that have been a major focus of archaeology. Articles in Part V, Aztec Provinces, Friends, and Foes, focuses on the Aztec's dynamic relations with distant provinces, and empires and groups that resisted conquest, and even allied with the Spanish to overthrow the Aztec king. This is followed by Part VI, Ritual, Belief, and Religion, which examines the different beliefs and rituals that formed Aztec religion and their worldview, as well as the material culture of religious practice. The final section of the volume, Aztecs after the Conquest, carries the Aztecs through the post-conquest period, an increasingly important area of archaeological work, and considers the place of the Aztecs in the modern world.

The Oxford Handbook of the Aztecs

At Home with the Aztecs provides a fresh view of Aztec society, focusing on households and communities instead of kings, pyramids, and human sacrifice. This new approach offers an opportunity to humanize the Aztecs, moving past the popular stereotype of sacrificial maniacs to demonstrate that these were successful and prosperous communities. Michael Smith also engagingly describes the scientific, logistic and personal dimensions of archaeological fieldwork, drawing on decades of excavating experience and considering how his research was affected by his interaction with contemporary Mexican communities. Through first-hand accounts of the ways archaeologists interpret sites and artifacts, the book illuminates how the archaeological process can provide information about ancient families. Facilitating a richer understanding of the Aztec world, Smith’s research also redefines success, prosperity and resilience in ancient societies, making this book suitable not only for those interested in the Aztecs but in the examination of complex societies in general.

At Home with the Aztecs

Aztecs: Rise and Fall of an Empire is a short introductory title on the history of the Mexica peoples. It follows the Aztecs from the founding of their capital, Tenochtitlan, right through to the centuries following the conquest of their empire in the 16th century. It ends with the story of Mexico in 1821.

Discoveries: Aztecs

This case study is about the Aztecs of Central Mexico, a people who dominated a vast area of what is now Mexico by the time the Spanish conquistadors arrived in A.D. 1519, but who had humble beginnings as despised nomads. The story of the confrontation and the defeat of the Aztecs by the small force of Spaniards led by Hernan Cortes is told in the last chapter.

The Aztecs of Central Mexico

In November 1519, Hernando Cortés walked along a causeway leading to the capital of the Aztec kingdom and came face to face with Moctezuma. That story--and the story of what happened afterwards--has been told many times, but always following the narrative offered by the Spaniards. After all, we have been taught, it was the Europeans who held the pens. But the Native Americans were intrigued by the Roman alphabet and, unbeknownst to the newcomers, they used it to write detailed histories in their own language of Nahuatl. Until recently, these sources remained obscure, only partially translated, and rarely consulted by scholars. For the first time, in Fifth Sun, the history of the Aztecs is offered in all its complexity based solely on the texts written by the indigenous people themselves. Camilla Townsend presents an accessible and humanized depiction of these native Mexicans, rather than seeing them as the exotic, bloody figures of European stereotypes. The conquest, in this work, is neither an apocalyptic moment, nor an origin story launching Mexicans into existence. The Mexica people had a history of their own long before the Europeans arrived and did not simply capitulate to Spanish culture and colonization. Instead, they realigned their political allegiances, accommodated new obligations, adopted new technologies, and endured. This engaging revisionist history of the Aztecs, told through their own words, explores the experience of a once-powerful people facing the trauma of conquest and finding ways to survive, offering an empathetic interpretation for experts and non-specialists alike.

Fifth Sun

The Aztecs were fierce, honorable, death-obsessed, and profoundly religious. A famed scholar evokes the life of this complex culture on the eve of its extinction, when the Spanish arrived and conquered them--imprisoning Montezuma and strangling Atahualpa. "It is, without question, the most brilliant, the clearest and most readable portrayal of Aztec life available in any language."--The Observer.

The Daily Life of the Aztecs on the Eve of the Spanish Conquest

One of the great documents of colonial Mexico, the Codex Chimalpopoca chronicles the rise of Aztec civilization and preserves the mythology on which it was based. Its two complementary texts, Annals of Cuauhtitlan and Legend of the Suns, record the pre-CortŽsian history of the Valley of Mexico together with firsthand versions of that region's myths. Of particular interest are the stories of the hero-god Quetzalcoatl, for which the Chimalpopoca is the premier source. John Bierhorst's work is the first major scholarship on the Codex Chimalpopoca in more than forty years. His is the first edition in English and the first in any language to include the complete text of the Legend of the Suns. The precise, readable translation not only contributes to the study of Aztec history and literature but also makes the codex an indispensable reference for Aztec cultural topics, including land tenure, statecraft, the role of women, the tribute system, warfare, and human sacrifice.

History and Mythology of the Aztecs

From the migration of the Aztecs to the rise of the empire and its eventual demise, this book covers Aztec history in full, analyzing conceptions of time, religion, and more through codices to offer an inside look at daily life. This book focuses on two main areas: Aztec history and Aztec culture. Early chapters deal with Aztec history—the first providing a visual record of the story of the Aztec migration and search for their destined homeland of Tenochtitlan, and the second exploring how the Aztecs built their empire. Later chapters explain life in the Aztec world, focusing on Aztec conceptions of time and religion, the Aztec economy, the life cycle, and daily life. The book ends with an account of the fall of the empire, as illustrated by Aztec artists. With sections concerning a wide variety of topics—from the Aztec pantheon to war, agriculture, childhood, marriage, diet, justice, the arts, and sports, among many others—readers will gain an expansive understanding of life in the Aztec world.

Aztec Codices

Students are taught that the Aztecs were destroyed by Hernán Cortéz, the conqueror of Mexico. However, there is much to learn about who the Aztec people were before they were conquered. The native Mexicans were part of a rich and vibrant culture that spanned hundreds of years. To understand this complicated society, readers are provided with an engaging main text and colorful photographs and historical images. Informative sidebars throughout detail the long history, and sudden defeat, of the Aztec Empire.

The Rise and Fall of the Aztec Empire

Describes and explains various aspects of life in complex historical eras - cultural, social, religious, political - with details on such activities as cooking, games, dress, and parenting.

Daily Life of the Aztecs

Take a journey back in time to witness the development of history's greatest civilizations! Engaging text and eye-catching images teach you about history, culture, and daily life of each civilizationand show you how each civilization continues to affect our world today!

Ancient Aztecs

The landing of Hernan Cortes in Mexico in 1519 marked the end of the Aztec Empire. Spectacular, sometimes unpublished finds presented in this volume demonstrate the wealth of this culture while providing comprehensive insight into the fascinating history of the Aztec Empire. Renowned experts tell of the political, societal, and economic structures, of cultural achievements such as the complex calendar system and the Aztec language, and of religious rites. Previous objects from the magnificent furnishings of the palace of Emperor Moctezuma and the main temple Temple Mayor, including recently discovered sacrificial offerings that have never previously been exhibited, bear witness to the high standards of Aztec art and craftsmanship.

"This book discusses the battles between the Spanish explorers and the Aztecs--battles that culminated in the ruin of a civilization. Alternating between Aztec and Spanish history, it discusses events and motivations on each side and includes a thorough account of the struggle between Cortés and Montezuma"--Provided by publisher.

The Aztecs, the Conquistadors, and the Making of Mexican Culture

A brief history of the Aztec Indians including their way of life, religion, and rulers.

Examines who the Aztecs were and how they lived.

The Ancient Aztecs

According to one popular image, the Aztec army was a ruthless and efficient war machine, that established an empire by convincingly overwhelming its neighbors, sacrificing thousands to bloodthirsty gods along the way. From a contrasting perspective, its native warriors were no match for the modern warring methods of Cortés' greatly outnumbered Spaniards, who decisively defeated them. The reality of the Aztec warrior's ability and effectiveness lies somewhere between those two extremes, as this title makes clear. By examining the experiences of a hypothetical individual, Cuauhtli, this meticulously researched book shows that the history of Aztec warfare is much richer and far more complex than previously understood, and reveals the close relationship between social and military matters in Aztec society.

Aztec Warrior

Recounts the story of the Aztecs' rise to power and describes various aspects of their civilization including religion, arts and crafts, daily life, and legacy.

This illuminating study offers a radical new understanding of how the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican societies conceived of time and history. Based on their enormously complex calendars that recorded cycles of many kinds, the Aztecs and other ancient Mesoamerican civilizations are generally believed to have had a cyclical, rather than linear, conception of time and history. This boldly revisionist book challenges that understanding. Ross Hassig offers convincing evidence that for the Aztecs time was predominantly linear, that it was manipulated by the state as a means of controlling a dispersed tribute empire, and that the Conquest cut off state control and severed the unity of the calendar, leaving only the lesser cycles. From these, he asserts, we have inadequately reconstructed the pre-Columbian calendar and so misunderstood the Aztec conception of time and history. Hassig first presents the traditional explanation of the Aztec calendrical system and its ideological functions and then marshals contrary evidence to argue that the Aztec elite deliberately used calendars and timekeeping to achieve practical political ends. He further traces how the Conquest played out in the temporal realm as Spanish conceptions of time partially displaced the Aztec ones.

Time, History, and Belief in Aztec and Colonial Mexico

"Empire of the Aztecs" opens with a summary of the rise and fall of the empire, placing it within the context of its time period and geographical location. The second half of this book explores the daily lives of the Aztec people, focusing on their social customs, religious practices, family and community structure, and cultural accomplishments.

Empire of the Aztecs

Traces the history of the Aztec Indians, describing their religion, social structure, daily life, and the consequences of their contact with the Spanish during the reign of Moctezuma II.

Moctezuma and the Aztecs

The Aztecs, a Mesoamerican civilization that thrived from the 14th to the 16th centuries, left an indelible mark on history. Known for their advanced city of Tenochtitlan, located in present-day Mexico City, they were skilled architects, engineers, and warriors. The Aztecs' complex society included a hierarchical structure, intricate religious beliefs, and a sophisticated calendar system. Their economy relied on agriculture, trade, and tribute from conquered regions, and their cultural achievements included remarkable art, intricate poetry, and an extensive knowledge of herbal medicine. However, their civilization was ultimately brought to an end by Spanish conquistadors, led by Hernán Cortés, who arrived in 1519 and triggered the downfall of the Aztec Empire.

HistoryShelf

Aztecs

Visit Shop