The Magic and Mysteries of Mexico; The Arcane Secrets and Occult Lore of the Ancient Mexicans And... (Paperback)

~ Lewis Spence (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Newcastle Pub Co Inc (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087877193X
• ISBN-13: 978-0878771936
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,675,672 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Introduction to Mexican Occultism, December 25, 2003

By	Zekeriyah (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This remarkable little book is chock full of information on the magic, mysticism and religion of the Aztecs and Mayans of classical Mesoamerica. Gathering together archaeology, anthropological surveys and accounts from the Spanish conquistadors, this wonderful little book takes the reader on a merry romp through the cultures of ancient Mexico and occaisonal looks at modern Indian beliefs today. Theres tons of information about gods and demons, magic and witchcraft, shamanism, nagualism, the Aztec and Mayan calendars, astrology, Aztec holy texts, the Popol Vuh and even the philosophies of the region. Spence makes a point throughout the book of drawing comparisons between American and European mythologies, making it even more accessable to readers who may be aware of Greek, Roman and European beliefs but have little familarity with the more exotic traditions of Central America. Of course, some of his assumptions (such as the idea that a European presence must have penetrated Mexico at some point) are completely false and reflect the cultural bigotry of the time. Nonetheless, looking beyond such things this is a wonderful book for the more obscure occult beliefs of the Aztecs and Maya. Or at least a start. I certainly felt that each chapter gave a decent amount of information on the subject and I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the magic and religion of the Native Americans of Mexico.