Customer Reviews

The Aztecs

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

From the standpoint of an interested amateur, the first edition of Dr. Townsend's book "The Aztecs" was the best scholarly-but-general presentation of the Aztec civilization, culture, life, religion, art, and history available. The book was comprehensive and vastly informative but never -- thanks to excellent writing -- dull.

This new edition differs in several slight but important ways from its predecessor. Most of the first edition's numerous and helpful halftone illustrations are retained, but a few have been deleted and a few added (total of three more in the new edition). Changes in the text for the most part reflect recent archeologic and ethnohistoric findings; references are dated to 1999. The extent of changes is not, however, striking, and certainly does not render the first edition obsolete, merely out of date in some details.

As is inevitable in any text of this breadth, there are a few minor quibbles and changes that might be made in subsequent editions: for example, what stairway are those statues leaning against in Fig. 121? (answer: the Great Temple)

It remains that this is THE book to read if you are interested in the Aztecs; it forms a solid basis for all other reading in the field. Second best is Michael E. Smith's monograph with the same title, which is also recommended. Dr. Smith's work tends to emphasize the day-to-day life of the Aztec villagers and peasantry, whereas Dr. Townsend focuses more on the grand sweep of cities, nobility, and empire. I prefer the latter, but if I were teaching a course I'd assign both books.

Townsend's _The Aztecs_ provides a great introduction to one of the great Mesoamerican civilizations. Opening with the Spanish arrival and eventual conquest of the Aztec empire, he then goes back to explore how the Aztecs - who were at the zenith of their power when Cortez arrived in 1519 - became such a powerful state, and how this led to their eventual demise. The complaints I have are rather nit-picky: I struggled with the Aztec names (of places, of titles, of dieties, of rulers); I also wish he had gone into more detail about social heirarchy and especially gender relations.

To be fair, the book is meant to be an introduction - and as such, it exceeds expectations. While Townsend leans a bit heavily on political history, he devotes time to urban culture of the Aztecs - the importance of Tenochtitlan as a religious as well as commercial center; and entire chapters discuss Aztec artisans and farmers, another family and education, and a fascinating chapter on Aztec religion. Still, much of the book centers on the founding, growth and expansion of the Aztec empire and the role (both culturally, politically and religiously) that warfare played in this. In fact, Townsend makes a very convincing case that "The Aztecs had mastered the arts of war but not those of government" which eventually led to its destruction at the hands of the Spaniards.

Matters of historical controversey are readily admitted (always appreciated, and too often not s forthrightly addressed in historical ntroductions), and splendidly cited using primary sources from both Aztec and Spaniard. For those seeking a great starting place in understanding Mesoamerican civilization, this is the book I would recommend.

I wondered as i was reading this book how it was that the Aztecs who had historically recorded populations of 100,000 plus,never had a terrible ecological disaster as the Mayan civilization supposedly did.Surely with Aztecan confederacy type populations there must have been a high use/misuse of resources. Could it be that the Aztecs had thought out a way to avoid such disasters as faced the Mayan civilations.Probably?
One way was the setting aside of large areas of timber and etc. and designating them as sacred so people could not inhabit them without offending the Gods. This seems like an early form of todays National Parks,the Aztecs therefore early consevationists.These are some of the type interpretations a person could gather from reading Townsends' book.Tenochtitlan while no doubt an architectural splendour,would not have downgraded to any degree the vast Aztecan style ceremonial centers in the outlying and mountainous regions of the Mexican valley.You get the feeling from this book of the Aztecs as an industrious,religious,artistic type people.
No doubt however that Aztecan society was highly stratified and warfare, tied to their religion,a major force in the expansion of their empire.The Aztecan empire was still in existence when the Spanish arrived so there is some written records available.I found the descriptions and numerous pictures of the "skull racks" along with the authors familiarity with Aztec warfare and human sacrifice,morbidly fascinating.Ther are lots of pictures and maps.Another excellent Thames and Hudson book.I was wondering after reading the book and noting the similarities between these Mesoamerican Sun Kingdoms. Maybe when the Mayan civilization collapsed,the remnants moved to the Mexican valley and tried to improve on the lessons from the Yucatan Peninsula.

Now in a revised and updated third edition, The Aztecs is an in-depth history of this legendary civilization native to ancient Mexico. Exploring the influence of the cultures that preceded the Aztecs (Xochicalco and Tula), The Aztecs reveals breakthroughs in hieroglyphic cryptology (pictographic and phonetic elements combine in Aztec script similar to conventions in Classic Maya writing) and delves into what the latest discoveries (such as that of the twelve-ton monolith of the goddess Tlaltecuhtli) have to tell us about the Aztecs. Black-and-white and a handful of color photographs illustrate this excellent reference, thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds and particularly recommended for public and college library collections.

As a returning adult student I feel this book was possibly the logical choice by the instructor but not a good one. 80% of the book focuses on politics, battle and hierarchy. Very little covers the daily life and true grit of the Aztecs who were not nobles, rulers or warriors. The writing was hard to follow due to elaborate usage of names for every imaginable ruler/God and Goddess in their civilization. I feel it was very dry and all in all it was written for persons with past knowledge of the subject matter. I previewed a National Geographic book on the Aztecs in order to parlay into this dry and lavish presentation on politics and battles. Unless you have to read it I dont recommend it.

Good for the Aztec virgin. Used as a primer, an introduction, to the great mesoamerican culture, the Aztecs. Written with no fat or pretension. Great buy, fair price, good edition, nice paper.

Excellent history of all aspects of Aztec life. Very comprehensive, yet easy to read and comprehend.

i got this thinking it was have picture, i was goign to use it as a reference for my tattoos i was getting. but it's very interesting with tons of information about the aztecs.

Lots of nice pictures of Aztec art but the writing is boring and there is not enuf archaeology. Try Smith's The Aztecs instead.

The book was well writen as an historical source. It doesn't portray The Aztecs as an advanced civilized society but as the blood thirsty savages that they were. My perception of the Aztecs was greatly changed after reading this book. I was curious as to why they were considered (form the little I knew about them) an advanced civilization and found that they were ruthless cutthroats who raped the land and destroyed anyone who was not their allie. I always thought they were peaceloving and fair only to find that they were fierce warriors who only wanted to consume every civilization that they encountered and enslave anyone who had something to offer.

The author worked hard to show how their difficult beginning lent itself to their horrifying sacrifices, far reaching conquests and ruthless tribute taking. No wonder the Spanish felt justified in killing them all and taking their gold and land.

Regretfully, there was not much information available about the common Aztec. It may have been an eyeopener as well. But from what I understand, it is difficult to gather information on commoners because all the writings and hierglyphs were constructed by, and therefore, glorified the royals (or more correctly, their slaves and workers did the work while the royals meted out the orders and leached the materials from their conquests). This is not unusual is civilizations where the commoners did not have the means to preserve their place in history.

This is a stunning account and it is not hard to read. Recommended for an acurate protrayal of these people and their enemies and conquests.