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Discover the mythology of the Aztec civilization The Aztec civilization of Central Mexico consisted of several communities with distinct cultures and languages. The Nahuatl-speaking tribes were the most popular and celebrated rituals based on their own version of myths and stories. While the Mesoamerican cultures shared many stories, rituals, and myths with the Aztecs, they were recognized as a separate community. The Aztecs were believed to come from the regions around Lake Texcoco and the Anahuac Valley. These regions collectively form the modern Mexico City we know today.
Though the Olmecs (1250–200 bc) were the first civilization in Mexico, the Aztecs (1325–1521) –Mesoamerica’s last imperial civilization and the most significant of the militaristic post-Classic period – are probably who first come to mind when we think of great empires of that region. Like other Mesoamerican cultures, Aztec gods and myths reflected a natural philosophy where ideas concerning life and death were linked symbolically to the earth, sky and sea in a grand cosmic scheme. Their religion was dominated by the tribal war god Huitzilopochtli, the rain/fertility god Tlaloc and the supreme deity Tezcatlipoca, the Lord of the Smoking Mirror. This fascinating collection explores ...
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 aggre...
The essential guide to the world of Aztec mythology, based on Nahuatl-language sources that challenge the colonial history passed down to us by the Spanish. From their remote origins as migrating tribes to their rise as builders of empire, the Aztecs were among the most dynamic and feared peoples of ancient Mexico, with a belief system that was one of the most complex and vital in the ancient world. Historian Camilla Townsend returns to the original tales, told at the fireside by generations of Indigenous Nahuatl speakers. Along the way, she deals with human sacrifice, the raising of great temples, and the troubling legacy of the Spanish conquest. Few cultures are generally understood to hav...
How did the jaguar get his spots? What happened to the four suns that came before our own? Where was Aztlan, mythical homeland of the Aztecs? For decades, the popular image of the Mexica people better known today as the Aztecs has been defined by the Spaniards who conquered them. Their salacious stories of pet snakes, human sacrifice and towering skull racks have masked a complex world of religious belief. To reveal the rich mythic tapestry of the Aztecs, Camilla Townsend returns to the original tales, told at the fireside by generations of Indigenous Nahuatl-speakers. Through their voices we learn the contested histories of the Mexica and their neighbours in the Valley of Mexico the foundat...
Who is Itzamna? What is Xolotl? Why are myths so important in our lives? Myths are a rich source of history. People use them to make sense of our world. Even before myths were written down, people told and retold the stories of the gods and goddesses of their homeland. Readers of Mayan and Aztec Mythology will learn the history of myths, as well as their deeper meaning. From the Aztec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl to the Mayan rain god Chac, this book helps kids understand the myths that shape and direct people's lives. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
If you're looking for a captivating collection of Aztec myths then keep reading... The Aztecs believed that offerings of human blood and human lives were necessary to the continued running of the universe. Indeed, in Aztec myths the gods themselves make sacrifices of their own blood and even of their entire bodies in order to create a universe humans can live in and, in one story, to create humans themselves; humans therefore must make blood sacrifices in turn to feed the gods and to keep the universe in existence. To the ancient Aztecs, these practices seemed fitting, necessary, and honorable, helping to connect the world of humans to the divine world of the gods, a universe that in Aztec m...
These myths are derived from a shared Mesoamerican cultural tradition still alive in contemporary Mexico and Central America.
This book discusses the origins of Aztec myths and how some of these myths have been manipulated over time. The book details the major gods found within the mythology along with some of the most memorable tales, such as creation of the world and the making of humanity. Readers learn how Aztec myths have penetrated popular culture.
Author Michael A. Schuman retells some of the colorful tales of these fascinating people. He explores the similarities between the two civilizations, highlighting their myths about the creation of the world, the origin of men and women, the birth of music, and other intriguing tales. Each story includes a detailed introduction to the culture and beliefs of the ancient Maya and Aztec, as well as expert commentary written by scholars and specialists on their mythology.