The Aztec Templo Mayor

The spectacular findings of the historic Templo Mayor Project, which took place in the heart of Mexico City from 1978 to 1997.

The Templo Mayor was a concrete manifestation of this unique system of beliefs. Antonio Serrato-Combe's carefully researched graphic treatments of these architectural spaces are at once both novel and stunning. Using computer-generated, three-dimensional color imagery, he presents a series of architectural topics ranging from site-planning principles to building details.

The great temple known as the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan symbolizes the axis mundi, the Aztec center of the world, where the sky, the earth, and the underworld met. In this volume, Matos Moctezuma uses his unmatched familiarity with the archaeological details to present a concise and well-supported development of this theme.

The remains of the great double pyramid of Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec empire, came to light during the spectacular excavation project undertaken by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia from 1978 to 1982. This volume offers three views of the Templo Mayor as the quintessential sacred space within the Aztec empire, presented in a collaborative effort by an archaeologist, an ethnohistorian, and a historian of religion.

Masterly....The complexities of Mexico's ancient cultures are perceptively presented and interpreted.--Library Journal

An unabridged translation of a 16th century Dominican friar's history of the Aztec world before the Spanish conquest, based on a now-lost Nahuatl chronicle and interviews with Aztec informants. Duran traces the history of the Aztecs from their mythic origins to the destruction of the empire, and describes the court life of the elite, the common people, and life in times of flood, drought, and war. Includes an introduction and annotations providing background on recent studies of colonial Mexico, and 62 b&w illustrations from the original manuscript. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

The Aztec World is an illustrated survey of the Aztecs based on insightful research by a team of international experts from the United States and Mexico. In addition to traditional subjects like cosmology, religion, human sacrifice, and political history, this book covers such contemporary concerns as the environment and agriculture, health and disease, women and social status, and urbanism. It also discusses the effects of European conquests on Aztec culture and society, in addition to offering modern perspectives on their civilization. The text is accompanied by colorful illustrations and photos of artifacts from the best collections in Mexico, including those of the Templo Mayor Museum and the National Museum of Anthropology, both in Mexico City, as well as pieces from archaeological sites and virtual reconstructions of lost artwork. The book accompanies an exhibition at The Field Museum.