Download or read book The Great Temple and the Aztec Gods written by Doris Heyden and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Great Temple of the Aztecs written by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma and published by Thames & Hudson. This book was released on 1988 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After Cortes' extraordinary conquest of the Aztecs in 1521, the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, was leveled and its Great Temple demolished. In 1978, clues that led to the rediscovery of the Great Temple and the most spectacular excavations ever conducted in Mexico. Matos discovered ritual deposits containing thousands of offerings from all over the Aztec empire; jaguar skeletons, jade masks, obsidian knives, stone sculptures, and effigy vessels. Matos links these to the overall symbolism of the temple and its fearsome deities, the war and rain gods. Fully illustrated and complete with extensive quotations from 16th-century chronicles.
Download or read book Huitzilopochtli written by Ernesto Novato and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-20 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading Gilgamesh, Hercules, Aeneas, and Lancelot are instantly recognized as mythological heroes in the West, evoking visions of Persian monsters, ghastly labors, and the founding and glorification of cities, but the names of Mesoamerican gods remain as mysterious as their spelling. Even those who have come across their names when learning about the history of Mesoamerica - particularly the Aztec and various gods' roles in the Spanish conquest of their empire - are often unaware that the Mesoamerican deities have tales that equal any of those in the repertoire of the mythological figures mentioned above. As archaeologists quickly learned, there are numerous temples dedicated to gods all across Mesoamerica, from the Olmec and Toltec to the Aztec and Maya. Furthermore, thousands of people still gather in the ruins of Mesoamerican cities, even as researchers learn more about the civilizations that continue to fascinate modern societies. To the Aztec, Huitzilopochtli wore a blue-green hummingbird helmet and was draped in pure white heron feathers. He carried a smoking mirror, an obsidian mirror, a shield, darts, and the serpent Xiuhcoatl that carried with it the fury and might of the sun. Everything about him - from his clothes to his weapons - emanated and defined royalty. His name meant Hummingbird of the South or Hummingbird of the Left (meaning the "Southern Part of the World") in the native language of the Aztec, Nahuatl. In his kingly role he was not only irrevocably intertwined with war and conquest but also with trade, the things most important to the great Aztec Empire. He was as bloodthirsty as he was just, and he was the pillar of Aztec society from its mythical beginnings to its tragic end. The wonderful thing about Huitzilopochtli is that his position in the Aztec pantheon of gods is difficult to define, far more than it would be to define the roles of Zeus, Jupiter, or Odin. Huitzilopochtli was the patron god of the Aztec, but modern scholars tend to think of his importance in terms of scaled growth from (possibly) a mortal man of great acclaim to the god whose temple was at the heart of the Aztec empire. His myth not only formed the basis of some of the more honored and bloody rituals performed by the Aztec, but actually influenced the modern-day Mexican coat of arms that can be found on the national flag. Huitzilopochtli: The History of the Aztec God of War and Human Sacrifice examines the origins of the deity and his place in the pantheon of gods. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Huitzilopochtli like never before.
Download or read book The Aztecs written by David Carrasco and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2012-01-26 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Fifth Sun written by Burr Cartwright Brundage and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2014-02-19 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ancient Aztecs dwelt at the center of a dazzling and complex cosmos. From this position they were acutely receptive to the demands of their gods. The Fifth Sun represents a dramatic overview of the Aztec conception of the universe and the gods who populated it—Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent; Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror; and Huitzilopochtli, the Southern Hummingbird. Burr Cartwright Brundage explores the myths behind these and others in the Aztec pantheon in a way that illuminates both the human and the divine in Aztec life. The cult of human sacrifice is a pervasive theme in this study. It is a concept that permeated Aztec mythology and was the central preoccupation of the aggressive Aztec state. Another particularly interesting belief explored here is the “mask pool,” whereby gods could exchange regalia and, thus, identities. This vivid and eminently readable study also covers the use of hallucinogens; cannibalism; the calendars of ancient Mexico; tlachtli, the life-and-death ball game; the flower wars; divine transfiguration; and the evolution of the war god of the Mexica. A splendid introduction to Aztec religion, The Fifth Sun also contains insights for specialists in ethnohistory, mythology, and religion.
Download or read book Tlaloc written by Ernest Novato and published by . This book was released on 2019-09-14 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading Gilgamesh, Hercules, Aeneas, and Lancelot are instantly recognized as mythological heroes in the West, evoking visions of Persian monsters, ghastly labors, and the founding and glorification of cities, but the name Quetzalcoatl is as mysterious as its spelling. Even those who have come across his name when learning about the history of Mesoamerica - particularly the Aztec and the god's role in the Spanish conquest of their empire - are often unaware that the Mesoamerican deity has tales that equal any of those in the repertoire of the mythological figures mentioned above, and the tale of his transmission into modern times is no less fascinating. As archaeologists quickly learned, there are numerous temples dedicated to gods all across Mesoamerica, from the Olmec and Toltec to the Aztec and Maya. Furthermore, thousands of people still gather in the ruins of Mesoamerican cities, even as researchers learn more about the civilizations that continue to generate interest among modern societies. Gods and myths reflect the societies that created them. The lustrous Garden of Eden was dreamed up by those for whom such verdant plenty could only be magical when compared with their usually arid environment. Peoples who endured harsh winters sang of eternal hearth fires and those who were threatened by dangerous animals told stories of humans who could tame them. Of course, these deities also often reflected the nuanced difficulties their creators experienced in their daily lives, and this is the case with the Aztec god Tlaloc. As the great scholar of Mesoamerican history and religion Kay Almere Read put it, "Rain and water deities constitute perhaps the largest, one of the oldest, most pervasive and complex group of gods and goddesses in Mesoamerica." The Valley of Mexico is the central elevated basin that contains Mexico City at its heart today. Surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, the Valley's lowest point is actually some 2200 meters above sea level and just like the plains of Mesopotamia or the Nile Delta, it is one of humanity's great birthplaces of civilization. Inhabited for over 12,000 years, it was the home to such creative cultures as the Teotihuacan, the Toltec, and the Aztec. These cultures built vast empires and colored them with sophisticated art and architecture, which is invaluable for scholars who study the groups today, and symbols of Tlaloc have been pervasive across their ruins. One of the reasons for the prevalence of Tlaloc in the Valley of Mexico is that in the semi-arid climate, water was a powerful daily symbol. Although there were no naturally occurring water connections to the sea, the high altitude of the mountains and volcanoes that surrounded it caught the rain water well and formed five important lakes: Xochimilco, Xaltocan, Zumpango, Chalco and Texcoco. As the largest, Texcoco was where the Aztecs eventually built their capital city Tenochtitlan. Since this was not a desert culture, their god Tlaloc was not just a reflection of an opposite extreme they desired; instead, he was a complex god that reflected the duality of water as both a boon and a force for destruction. From his home in Tlalocan, Tlaloc was able to send good and bad waters to the people of the Valley of Mexico and beyond. He was the lord of the chthonic powers of Mexico even as far south as the Maya, who called him Chaac and connected him with warfare and agriculture much the same way the Aztec did. The Aztec tell the story of Tlaloc blessing their rise to regional dominance by sending a famine to the Toltec, and his duality of good waters vs. bad waters was a product of the largely two-season system in Mexico. Tlaloc: The History of the Aztec God of Rain and Giver of Life examines the origins of the deity and his place in the pantheon of gods.
Download or read book The Aztec Empire written by Nicholas J. Saunders and published by Heinemann-Raintree Library. This book was released on 2005 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aztec life is revealed through the excavations of historical sites and the objects uncovered.
Download or read book Mockeries and Metamorphoses of an Aztec God written by Guilhem Olivier and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a masterful study of Tezcatlipoca, one of the greatest but least understood deities in the Mesoamerican pantheon. An enigmatic and melodramatic figure, 'the Lord of the Smoking Mirror' was both drunken seducer and mutilated transgressor and, although he severely punished those who violated pre-Columbian moral codes, he also received mortal confessions. A patron deity to kings and warriors as well as a protector of slaves, Tezcatlipoca often clashed in epic confrontation with his 'enemy brother' Quetzalcoatl, the famed 'Feathered Serpent'. Yet these powers of Mesoamerican mythology collaborated to create the world, and their common attributes hint toward a dual character. In a sophisticated and systematic tour through the sources and problems related to Tezcatlipoca's protean powers and shifting meanings, Olivier guides the reader skilfully through the symbolic names of this great god, from his representation on skins and stones to his relationship to ritual knives and other related deities. Drawing upon iconographic material, chronicles written in both Spanish and the native Nahuatl, and the rich contributions of ethnography, Mockeries and Metamorphoses of an Aztec God -- like the mirror of Tezcatlipoca in which the fates of mortals were reflected -- reveals an important but obscured portion of the cosmology of pre-Columbian Mexico.
Download or read book A Pocket Dictionary of Aztec and Mayan Gods and Goddesses written by Clara Bezanilla and published by Getty Publications. This book was released on 2010 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published: London: British Museum Press, 2006.
Download or read book Handbook to Life in the Aztec World written by Manuel Aguilar-Moreno and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2007 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes daily life in the Aztec world, including coverage of geography, foods, trades, arts, games, wars, political systems, class structure, religious practices, trading networks, writings, architecture and science.
Download or read book Treasures of the Great Temple written by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma and published by Alti Publishing. This book was released on 1990 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Art and symbolism of the Aztec empire.
Download or read book The Great Temple of Tenochtitlan written by Johanna Broda and published by . This book was released on 1989-04 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Mexico written by Michael D. Coe and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Masterly....The complexities of Mexico's ancient cultures are perceptively presented and interpreted.--Library Journal
Download or read book Everyday Life in the Aztec World written by Frances F. Berdan and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-12-03 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Everyday Life in the Aztec World, Frances Berdan and Michael E. Smith offer a view into the lives of real people, doing very human things, in the unique cultural world of Aztec central Mexico. The first section focuses on people from an array of social classes - the emperor, a priest, a feather worker, a merchant, a farmer, and a slave - who interacted in the economic, social and religious realms of the Aztec world. In the second section, the authors examine four important life events where the lives of these and others intersected: the birth and naming of a child, market day, a day at court, and a battle. Through the microscopic views of individual types of lives, and interweaving of those lives into the broader Aztec world, Berdan and Smith recreate everyday life in the final years of the Aztec Empire.
Download or read book The Great Temple of the Aztecs written by Eduardo M. Moctezuma and published by . This book was released on 2000-11-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After Cortes' extraordinary conquest of the Aztecs in 1521, the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, was leveled and its Great Temple demolished. In 1978, clues that led to the rediscovery of the Great Temple and the most spectacular excavations ever conducted in Mexico. Matos discovered ritual deposits containing thousands of offerings from all over the Aztec empire; jaguar skeletons, jade masks, obsidian knives, stone sculptures, and effigy vessels. Matos links these to the overall symbolism of the temple and its fearsome deities, the war and rain gods. Fully illustrated and complete with extensive quotations from 16th-century chronicles.
Download or read book The Aztec Empire written by Ellis Roxburgh and published by Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC. This book was released on 2015-07-15 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Aztecs developed an amazing culture unknown to the Western world. Their religion, language, and accomplishments have made them some of the most well known empires of history. Learn about the rise and fall of the Aztecs in this exciting book full of primary sources.
Download or read book Gods Goddesses of the Inca Maya and Aztec Civilizations written by John Murphy and published by Encyclopaedia Britannica. This book was released on 2014-07-15 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sharing many common beliefs, deities, and rituals, the religion of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca was rooted in both the earth and the sky, the rhythms of the seasons, and the movements of the sun, moon, and stars. Readers will meet rain and sun gods, corn gods and fertility gods, earth mothers who are both creators and destroyers, and even a feathered serpent. Lavish primary-source images of arts and artifacts are paired with text that is both information-packed and enthralling. Readers who enter this pantheon are in for an awe-inspiring cultural journey through the divine mysteries of time and space.
