The Aztecs [Paperback]

• A thorough examination of Aztec origins and civilization including religion, science, and thought
• Incorporates the latest archaeological excavations and research into explanations of the Spanish conquest and the continuity of Aztec culture in Central Mexico
• Expanded coverage includes key topics such as writing, music, royal tombs, and Aztec predictions of the end of the world

List of Tables xiv

Preface xv

Guide to Pronunciation and Spelling xviii

1 The Aztecs of Mesoamerica 1

Who Were the Aztecs? 3

Mesoamerican Context 5

The Aztec Environment 7

Sources of Information 12

Ethnohistory 13

Archaeology 20

Art History 27

Aztec Studies Today 28

2 The Rise of Aztec Civilization 30

Timetables 31

Pre-Aztec Civilizations 33

The Aztlan Migrations 36

Toltecs, Chichimecs, and Aztec Identity 39

The Growth of City-States: The Early Aztec Period 40

Tenochtitlan and Empire: The Late Aztec Period 46

3 People on the Landscape 60

How Many Aztecs? 61

The Aztec Diet 65

Farming Systems 69

Rural Settlement 77

The Rural Landscape 81

4 Artisans and their Wares 82

Utilitarian Crafts 82

Luxury Crafts 94

Otumba: AlÅ