Pacaritambo

THE ANCIENT AMERICAN CIVILIZATIONS (History of Civilization series)
by Friedrich Katz. B&W drawings. Cover photo: Mask representing the god Quezalcoatl, Aztec, c. 1500. Condition: NEW 2000 Phoenix Press Trade Paperback, first printing. Content: Originally published in Germany in 1969. Ever since Columbus set foot on American soil ("invaded" is the correct term), and convinced he had reached India, called the native populations Indians, the origins of the aboriginal inhabitants have been hotly debated. There are few empires about which such contradictory ideas persist as those of the Inca and the Aztecs. Katz Begins his study of the ancient American civilizations - spanning the vast period from the first peoples, thirty-five to fifty thousand years ago, to the Spanish Conquest of 1517 - with a discussion of the sources of our knowledge. He describes the inhabitants, their agriculture - and the cultural sphere of Mesoamerica. Tracing the development of the civilizations of pre-Columbian America from village communities to prosperous city states, this is a fascinating account of how these civilizations culminated in the magnificent empires of the Aztecs and Inca. [1 copy available]
$ 18.49 + shipping

THE ART OF THE AZTECS
by Nigel Cawthorne. Beautiful color photos illustrate. Condition: NEW 1999 Octopus Publishing (London) hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), no printing given. Content: An interesting presentation of Aztec art which is an integral part of the history of and our understanding ot the the dominant Ancient American culture. The book itself is a work of art, including special touches such as metallic papers and inks with printed trace paper inserts to highlight details. The artworks are presented by "city" or geographical area of the Aztec empire as well as type. Chapters are: Who Were the Aztecs? ; Architecture; Mountain Shrines and Cliff Reliefs; Sculpture; Codices; Jewellery; Textiles and Weaving; Pottery and Ceramics. [1 copy available]
$ 10.49 + shipping [media mail USA]

THE AZTECS (Indians of North America series)
by Frances F. Berdan. Wonderful color photo section with B&W maps, drawings and photos througout. Condition: UNREAD 1989 Chelsea House Trade Paperback, first printing. Tiny edgewear. Content: A wonderful overview of the Aztec Empire and civilization. Excellent! [1 copy available]
$ 4.49 + shipping

AZTECS: AN INTERPRETATION
by Inga Clendinnen. Color and B&W photo section. B&W maps. Condition: UNREAD 1991 Cambridge University Press hardcvoer & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. This book is from my personal collection - I never got around to reading it. Content: Breakthroughs in historical topics most often come from discoveries of new texts or archaeological finds. Not so in this case. Here, rereading existing indigenous and Spanish documents (particularly the Florentine Codex of de Sahagun), as well as current scholarly literature, has yielded a riveting, fresh perspective on a seemingly exhausted topic, the pre-Columbian culture of the Aztecs of Mexico. Where previous authors have seen chronicles of empire building, the workings of economic systems, or reconstructions of social organization, Clendinnen finds tonalities of everyday life. How did the ordinary people of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital destroyed by Cortez, make sense of their world? How did the warriors, women, priests, and traders understand the brutal practice of human sacrifice for which Aztec society is notorious? The author's answers to these and other questions provide the general reader and specialist alike with a powerful, elegantly written interpretation that goes further than any yet in getting inside this extinct culture. It deserves a place on the shelf next to Jacques Soustelle ( Daily Life of the Aztecs , see below) and Nigel Davies ( The Aztecs: A History). [2 copies available]
$ 19.50 + shipping

THE AZTEC TEMPLO MAYOR: A Visualization
by Antonio Serrato-Combe. Full color illustrations from Codex, drawings, or computer generation. Condition: NEW 2001 University of Utah large hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), assumed first printing. Content: Serrato-Combe explores the Templo Mayor complex by computer generated illustrations and in history. All the building illustrations are computer generated based on oral and verbal manuscripts and on the actual foundations left standing. He also recreates the ball court, the plaza, and the homes surrounding the plaza. Detailed history and color graphics make this a most fascinating look at Aztec history. Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
$ 18.49 + shipping [media mail USA]

THE BROKEN SPEARS: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico (Expanded & Updated Edition)
edited and introduction by Miguel Leon-Portilla. Foreword by J. Jorge Klor de Alva. B&W Codex drawings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 1999 Beacon Press Trade Paperback, expanded & updated edition, second printing. Light shelf wear hinge crease. Content: Reviewer: "This book describes the conflict between the Aztecs and Spaniards superbly! This book is somewhat unique among histories because it takes the point of view of the vanquished rather than the victors. It starts from before the Spaniards arrive with eerie premonitions of eminent doom to the fall of Tenochtitlan and the suffering associated with that, then proceeds to give a short account of the plight of the native Nahuas after the conquest. Leon-Portilla uses a vast array of native sources from the Florentine Codex to the Cantares Mexicanos (which consists of Native American songs about the conquest), and combines them to create a lively and pleasant read, and its fairly short length add to its overall unburdensome style. In fact for me this book was harder not to read than to read. The tale is full of lively adventure, fascinting omens and cultural tidbits (such as the Aztec dedication to human sacrifice and their belief that the Spaniards were gods), violence, and sorrow. This book is a must for the Aztec fan, the conquistador fan, or anyone who likes an engaging story that just happens to be history. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 10.49 + shipping

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO: A Modern Rendering of William H. Prescott's History
by Beatrice Berler. Preface by Burr Brundage. B&W illustrations from Codex and Spanish drawings. Condition: NEW Corona Publishing (SAT) Trade Paperback, 4th printing. Content: If the 7-million page (well, ok, almost) original Prescott history is too much for you or you have time constraints, this is the book for you. Prescott's account of the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniard Cortes, first published in 1843, is classic. Despite the passage of time, it remains lively and fresh. Only the account by Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who accompanied Cortes, ranks close. Many editions of Prescott have appeared; one of the most recent abridgements of Prescott's long account is C. Harvey Gardner's text but even this totals 406 pages. Berler has done us a service by making a sharply abridged Prescott available in readable form. Prescott's work sheds light on what happens when peoples meet, and he was the first major historian to address that question. Berler makes accessible a past master. [1 copy available]
$ 7.49 + shipping

THE CONQUEST OF NEW SPAIN
by Bernal Diaz. Translated by J. M. Cohen. B&W maps. Condition: Good+, 1981 Penguin Books paperback, reprint. This book has been used - edgewear with a pale crease bottom front cover. Interior clean with light tanning to page edges. Content: The defeat of the Aztecs by Hernan Cortes and his small band of adventurers is one of the most startlint military feats in history. Fifty years after the event Bernal Diaz (c. 1498 - c. 1580), who served under Cortes, wrote this magnificent account of the march from teh coast, Montezuma's death, the massacre of the Spaniards, and the eventual capture of the capital of Mexico. W. H. Prescott drew freely on this book for his History of the Conquest of Mexico. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.49 + shipping

DAILY LIFE OF THE AZTECS On The Eve of the Spanish Conquest
by Jacques Soustelle. B&W photo section. Diego Rivera cover art. Condition: NEW 2002 Phoenix Press Trade Paperback, assumed first printing. Content: Originally published in France in 1955. The Aztecs were fierce, honorable, death-obsessed, and profoundly religious. A famed scholar evokes the life of this complex culture on the eve of its extinction, when the Spanish arrived and conquered them--imprisoning Montezuma. "It is, without question, the most brilliant, the clearest and most readable portrayal of Aztec life available in any language." Jacques Soustelle was born in Montpellier in 1912 and attained fame both as a scholar and a politician. He made an exhaustive study of the Aztec language, society, art and architecture, rituals and beliefs. Following his retirement from active politics at the time of the first Algerian revolt, he returned to Paris to reassume a position he had held since 1937-Director of the most famous ethnological museum in the world, the Musee de l'Homme. He died in 1990. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + shipping

EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE AZTECS
by Warwick Bray. B&W drawings by Eva Wilson. Condition: NEW 1968 Dorset Press small hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Perfect. Content: An excellent introduction to the lives of the Aztec common folk and their upper class. It is, of course, a bit dated now, but still one of the essentials to understanding the Aztecs. Wonderful B&W drawings (reproductions of the Codex art) and photos. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 8.89 + shipping

THE FLAME OF PEACE: A Tale of the Aztecs
story and color illustrations by Deborah Nourse Lattimore. Condition: UNREAD 1991 Harper Trophy soft cover, no printing given. Beautiful, historically accurate & detailed color illustrations - could have come right out of a Codex. Content: Two Flint knows no better place on earth than his beautiful Aztec city. But one day a hostile army appears outside the city walls. When Two Flint's father goes to talk peace with the enemy, he never returns. Only when the magic flame from Lord Morning Star's sacred light burns in the great Aztec temple can men live as brothers. But the journey to the great god's home is fraught with terrors. And the long road beyond the great city walls is ruled by nine evil demons of darkness. Two Flint knows he must be brave. But can he succeed where so many others have failed? [While the message of peace is an appropriate one for youngsters - recommended for ages 5 to 8 - I'm not convinced it is appropriate to the Aztec culture. However, it is a nice story and the illustrations will easily carry the text.] Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 15.49 + shipping

THE GREAT TEMPLE OF THE AZTECS: Treasures of Tenochtitlan
(New Aspects of Antiquity series)
by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma. Translated from the Spanish by Doris Heyden. B&W photos and drawings plus wonderful color photos. Condition: UNREAD 1988 Thames & Hudson soft cover edition, no printing given. Content: The Aztecs have fascinated and horrified Westerners for centuries. After Cortes extraordinary conquest of the New World's most powerful civilization in 1521, the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, was leveled and its Great Temple demolished. Soon even the location of the old cult center was lost--until 1978, when tunneling for Mexico City's subway system unearthed clues that led to the rediscovery of the Great Temple an the most spectacular excavation ever conducted in Mexico. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 18.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

THE HUMAN BODY AND IDEOLOGY: Conceps of the Ancient Nahuas (2 Volume Set)
by Alfredo Lopez Austin. Translated by Thelma Ortiz de Montellano and Bernard Ortiz de Montellano. B&W photos & drawins illustrate. Condition: NEW 1988 University of Utah hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), 2 volume set, first printing. Content: Reviewer: "Austin is one of the best historians of the ancient prehispanic Mexico. Human Body and Ideology represents the highest level of the understanding of the cosmogonic concepts of the mexicas. The method used by López Austin is extremely complex and well developed, it goes between history, anthropology, sociology and philosopy." Heavily documented. Questions encouraged. [1 set available]
$ 147.49 + shipping

LAND OF THE FIVE SUNS (Looking at Aztec Myths & Legends)
by Kay McManus. Beautiful color photos and B&W photos & drawings. Condition: NEW 1999 British Museum Press hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. Content: Stone Turtle uses Creation myths and tales of Aztec gods to distract his younger brother, Two Rabbit Leaping Frog, in order to keep him out of trouble. The narrator also explains the origins of music, corn, and chocolate. This story is set in the early 1500s, just as Spaniards and Aztecs were encountering one another for the first time. Full-color photos of artwork and artifacts. Recommended for ages 9 - 12. [2 copies available]
$ 5.39 + shipping

SPIRIT CHILD: A Story of the Nativity
translated from the Aztec by John Bierhorst. Beautiful, soft pastel color illustrations by Barbara Cooney. Condition: NEW 1984 SeaStar Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This acclaimed picture book brings to life a stirring message of hope and salvation. Beneath the light of a brilliant star in Bethlehem, a "spirit child" is born to rescue the world from evil. He is Jesus, "savior of the people," and his story has not been told in these words for over four hundred years. This Native American nativity story from the Aztec tradition was rediscovered by noted scholar John Bierhorst and it is filled with vivid language and some of the most striking imagery of Caldecott Medalist Barbara Cooney's distinguished career. Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
$ 8.89 + shipping

TEOTIHUACAN: The city and its momuments
by Adrian Garcia Valades. Mostly color photos (although there are some B&W photos) and B&W drawings illustrate. Condition: Pre-read 1976 Dicesa (Mexico) small soft cover, second edition. Tiny edgewear with pale crease top front cover corner. Interior clean & tight. Small tag removal mark top front cover. Content: Most likely this book was written for the visitors to the City - but that doesn't mean it isn't an interesting and worthwhile historical document. From an explanation of the names in the city to the use of the buildings and design details, this is a wonderful insight into one of the New World's most beautiful cities. Loaded with graphics and photos. [1 copy available]
$ 9.50 + shipping

TWO EARTHS, TWO HEAVENS: An Essay Contrasting the Aztecs and the Incas
by Burr Cartwright Brundage. Machu Picchu cover art. Condition: UNREAD 1975 UNM Press hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), stated first edition. DJ has minor edgewear and is price-clipped. Content: Brundage, a historian who has written extensively about both the Incas and the Aztecs, here compares their origins, creation myths, religions and ways of life and warfare. "The Incas," he writes, "trusting in their destiny as a master race, planned ahead whereas the Aztecs, pessimistic and acutely aware of irresponsibility as a main characteristic of the gods, lived from day to day dutifully performing the rites of war." He portrays the Inca Empire as "synonymous with order," the Aztec Empire as a "byproduct of warfare." His innovative explanation of the defeat of the two nations by the Spanish is based on his belief that by the sixteenth century both empires had already passed their apex. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
$ 19.50 + shipping