At Home with the Aztecsprovides a fresh view of Aztec society, focusing on households and communities instead of kings, pyramids, and human sacrifice. This new approach offers an opportunity to humanize the Aztecs, moving past the popular stereotype of sacrificial maniacs to demonstrate that these were successful and prosperous communities. Michael Smith also engagingly describes the scientific, logistic and personal dimensions of archaeological fieldwork, drawing on decades of excavating experience and considering how his research was affected by his interaction with contemporary Mexican communities. Through first-hand accounts of the ways archaeologists interpret sites and artifacts, the book illuminates how the archaeological process can provide information about ancient families. Facilitating a richer understanding of the Aztec world, Smiths research also redefines success, prosperity and resilience in ancient societies, making this book suitable not only for those interested in the Aztecs but in the examination of complex societies in general.
Chapter 1. Rusty Nails, Stone Walls and a Drum
The Aztecs: Bloodthirsty Savages or Just Regular Folks?
Who Were the Aztecs, Anyway?
Aztec Families and Households
Aztec Communities
My Journey to Aztec Households and Communities
Chapter 2. The Discovery of Aztec Peasants
The Invisible Aztec Peasant
Background to the Fieldwork
Getting into the Field
Digging Houses at Capilco
More Houses at Cuexcomate
Any Idiot Knows These Walls were Foundations for Adobe Bricks!
The Village of Tetlama
Where are all the Bodies?
Celebrating the End of the World
Farming the Hillsides
The Rainy Season Begins and the Excavation Ends
Chapter 3. Reconstructing Daily Life
![At Home with the Aztecs An Archaeologist Uncovers Their Daily Life [Paperback]](/itemImage/2/6/1/3/2_197177.jpg "At Home with the Aztecs An Archaeologist Uncovers Their Daily Life [Paperback] xxx")