Customer Reviews

Mayans and Aztecs: Ancient Lands of the Americas

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The Kultur series is notorious for making works that are really just dry slideshow lectures. However, this one had reenactments and actually people being interviewed, so it moved more effectively.
Few works cover both the Aztecs and the Mayans. I appreciate that this work covered both, but it may confuse imprudent viewers who could collapse the two civilizations together.
This work confirms what most works on these peoples say. The Mayan civilization declined before European contact, the Aztecs had indigenous enemies, they believed strongly in human sacrifices, and the Aztec people themselves killed their leader Moctezuma II. For those who know much about the Aztecs and Mayas, this work will say nothing new. I applaud the work for saying the Mayans and Aztecs have descendants who live and speak the ancient languages to this day.
This disc was really made for a European audience. Though I understood the British narrator, the academic interviewees had accents so strong, a Yankee like myself just couldn't understand it.
I think this work may be too boring for an elementary class, but it would be okay for high school students. Those fascinated by ancient cultures should appreciate it.

This is a useful video for understanding the differences and similarities between the two cultures. The graphics are excellent; however, the talking heads are difficult to understand, and since they make good points it would be helpful if their pronunciation were clearer.