ABOUT THIS BOOK

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.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Frances F. Berdan is professor emerita of anthropology at California State University San Bernardino. Among her numerous books are Everyday Life in the Aztec World, Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory, and The Codex Mendoza.

REVIEWS

“The Aztecs is wonderfully informative and insightful, totally up to date, and draws together a large body of evidence about Aztec society and culture, from codices to ethnohistory and archaeology. Written by a leading Aztec scholar who has spent decades producing pivotal and groundbreaking research, this book is a delight—accessible yet intellectually challenging, and full of stimulating information and captivating detail.”

— Elizabeth Baquedano, Senior Honorary Lecturer at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London

"In Mexico, the Aztecs are far from lost, argues archaeologist and anthropologist Berdan. . . . Most of this knowledgeable and accessible introduction to the Aztecs—the fruit of a lifetime’s study—is concerned with matters such as food and drink, textiles and dress, pottery and art objects, dwellings and architecture, the social divisions of society, trade and the economy, religion and mythology, and, inevitably, the notorious Aztec penchant for human sacrifice. This latter custom was integral to Aztec myths and ceremonies. 'Humans were burdened with a debt to their gods for their very existence,' and they believed they must repay it with their blood, and sometimes with their lives."

— Science

"This accessible book is thorough, well-illustrated, and highly recommended as a comprehensive insight into a fascinating civilisation."

— Antiqvvs

"Part of the Lost Civilizations series published by Reaktion Books, The Aztecs suggests new ways of seeing its subject: instead of focusing on leaders like the ill-fated Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, Berdan expands her lens to include the people they governed."

— Mexico News Daily

"[Written] with style and verve. . . . Berdan’s The Aztecs is . . . based on a lifetime of research and study."

— J.H. Elliott, New York Review of Books

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Chronology

Introduction

1. ‘An Enchanted Vision’

2. Who Were the Aztecs?

3. Building an Empire

4. Making a Living in Country and City

5. Markets and Merchants

6. Nobles and Commoners

7. To Be a Proper Aztec

8. Science, Medicine and Life’s Practicalities

9. Gods, Sacrifice and The Meaning of Life

10. The End of the Fifth Age: The Setting Sun

11. The Aztec Legacy: Reality and Imagination

Table of Monthly Ceremonies

References

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

Photo Acknowledgements

Index

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