History and Mythology of the Aztecs

by Bierhorst, John

• ISBN13: 9780816518869
• ISBN10: 0816518866
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780816543625
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-06-01
• Publisher: Univ of Arizona Pr
• More Book Details

Summary

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-CortA(c)sian 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.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction	1	(16)
Annals of Cuauhtitlan	17	(122)
Table of Contents	19	(4)
The Text in English	23	(116)
Legend of the Suns	139	(24)
Table of Contents	141	(1)
The Text in English	142	(21)
Concordance to Proper Nouns and Titles	163	(56)
Subject Guide	219	(12)
Source Abbreviations	231	(2)
References	233