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Aztec Thought and Culture (The Civilization of the American Indian Series) (Volume 67) Paperback – September 15, 1990

by Leon-Portilla (Author)

107 ratings

Part of: The Civilization of the American Indian (35 books)

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For at least two millennia before the advent of the Spaniards in 1519, there was a flourishing civilization in central Mexico. During that long span of time a cultural evolution took place which saw a high development of the arts and literature, the formulation of complex religious doctrines, systems of education, and diverse political and social organization.

The rich documentation concerning these people, commonly called Aztecs, includes, in addition to a few codices written before the Conquest, thousands of folios in the Nahuatl or Aztec language written by natives after the Conquest. Adapting the Latin alphabet, which they had been taught by the missionary friars, to their native tongue, they recorded poems, chronicles, and traditions.

The fundamental concepts of ancient Mexico presented and examined in this book have been taken from more than ninety original Aztec documents. They concern the origin of the universe and of life, conjectures on the mystery of God, the possibility of comprehending things beyond the realm of experience, life after death, and the meaning of education, history, and art. The philosophy of the Nahuatl wise men, which probably stemmed from the ancient doctrines and traditions of the Teotihuacans and Toltecs, quite often reveals profound intuition and in some instances is remarkably “modern.”

This English edition is not a direct translation of the original Spanish, but an adaptation and rewriting of the text for the English-speaking reader.

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

OUP
Publication date

September 15, 1990
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.68 x 8.5 inches
ISBN-10

0806122951
ISBN-13

978-0806122953
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Miguel León-Portilla (1926–2019) was an anthropologist and historian, specializing in Aztec culture and literature of the pre-Columbian and colonial eras.. León-Portilla studied at Loyola University and the National University of Mexico. La filosofía náhuatl: estudiada en sus fuentes, the Spanish version of this book, received high praise from both Mexican and American scholars.

Jack Emory Davis, associate professor of Romance languages at the University of Arizona, prepared the original translation. He holds M.A. and Ph.D. degree from Tulane University.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ OUP; Revised ed. edition (September 15, 1990)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0806122951
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0806122953
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.68 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #129,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #19 in Aztec History
- #64 in Mexico History
- #370 in Native American History (Books)

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Robert

Worth your time

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 3, 2021

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This book provided great insight of the way and culture of indigenous humans and the strength of our ancestors spirit to believe in something greater than mankind. Regardless of your heritage we are all humans with the the extension of our higher powers spirit and energy flowing through us! Our an elect faith knowing that life would develop far beyond their time. This book will give you great insight of how powerful and deep their wisdom was in knowing that one day we would come into existence and look back to their teaching and lessons to remember the righteous way for a greater understanding of the purpose of life, family, and being. We are not only representatives of ourselves but of our ancestors and our future generations! Enjoy! I know I did!

One person found this helpful

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Nico Vela

A conflicting book.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 1, 2022

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Overall, the author does an amazing job at describing the views of the Nahua (or Mexica) Philosopher class. Yet, the author spends a good deal of time comparing their views to Greek Philosophy, and downplaying the role of theology. Unfortunately, Nahua theology and cosmology are required, at least in my opinion, to understand Nahua philosophy and thought. Regardless, though I am left feeling conflicted at how this book is written, it is a good introduction to Nahua thought, although the culture aspect is yet to be determined.

Helpful

Clearly Inferior to Sejournes 'Burning Water'

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 26, 2009

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This book is largely a commentary on early Spanish writers in 'New Spain' and mainly for Sahagun. The book starts out by talking about the Aztec/Nahau philosophers the 'tlamatinime'. In fact it keeps repeating verse/poetry from the first section of the book throughout when referring to these wise men. It got to the point reading this that Sahagun and others works were included so much that I felt I should be reading Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain (Book 6, Rhetoric and Moral Philosophy) first hand (if it wasn't so unreasonably expensive, an affordable reprint is due).

This book does make a cursory reference to the perennial philosophy in inferring the Nahau culture was part of it. A claim which is somewhat speculative but probably correct. When one visits Teotihuacan, a primary Nahau/Toltec site, there is no doubt the complex was not built by savages. Probably because we have a Mexican and not a Spanish writer the Nahau are conveyed as a deep people extremely civilized and not a rapacious savages as was sold to the world by the conquistidors.

Recent linguist research as presented in Aztec Calendar Handbook makes a strong case that Nahautl originated in the Four Corners region of the US Southwest. Specifically there are linked to Chaco Canyon and it's complex of temples. It is a tenable hypothesis that the tlamatinime and Nahautl culture originated here and migrated down to Teotihuacan and their cultural/linguistic descendants finally to Tenochtitlan prior to the invasion of Cortez.

So I'd rate this as a respectable work from mainstream academia but not as a full depiction of Aztec thought and culture. That prize goes to Laurette Sejourne whos classic Burning Water has not been equaled in the study of things Aztec/Toltec/Nahuatl. While Portilla's book takes you to the edge of the regions cosmology Sejourne brings you backstage. When Portilla winks and mentions perennial philosophy it's Sejourne who convincingly and indisputably delivers the goods. Portilla's book may be required reading for an Mexican religion 101 class. But Sejourne's work is beyond Phd material. Sejournes work is more like being let into the secret mysticism yoga of the Nahuatl. In fact there are few books that see into mans true role and interaction with 'reality' as 'Burning Water.' Other books up to this level are the writings of Hazrat Inayat Khan The Heart of Sufism and Tiwa/Ute medicine person Joseph Rael Sound: Native Teachings and Visionary Art of Joseph Rael

If you are perceptive to energy and want to travel to Teotihuacan to experience the energy that is still there in the stones and great pyramids then lookup Cynthia Signet of AncientWisdomTeachings

19 people found this helpful

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yankee-in-ca

Must-read, but with two caveats

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 16, 2005

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This tour into the thicket of Aztec thought is indispensable, which is why I gave it four stars. But it was written forty years ago, leaving it with two glaring problems.

The author: What might seem to be hyper-political-correctness is actually poignantly outrageous ancestor worship. The Aztecs can do no wrong, so get used to it. On p. 155 Leon-Portilla takes us through the "sagacity" of book burning! "The common folk were worshipping pictures of their ancient rulers as gods." (Sound familiar?) How, exactly, was this culture-destroying move sagacious? Well, it shows that the Mexica had "a strong awareness of history"!

(But when the Spanish burn books, poetry, art and music - beauty itself - leave the planet forever.)

This quaint attitude actually helps make a difficult topic entertaining. The translation is a more aggravating problem. "Deities of the Close Vicinity"? Why didn't our translator throw in some English, like "Lords of the Nearby"? And he gives us "tiger" in place of jaguar! (Spanish for jaguar is "tigre.")

Leon-Portilla goes to great lengths to explain a phenomenon common in Náhautl, difrasismo, which apparently is rare in Spanish. But the translation completely ignores that it's the bread and butter of English - difrasismo is the coupling of words, like "bread and butter"! The crucial Aztec phrase "face and heart," for example, is apparently untranslatable into Spanish, but English has "body and soul," or the plural "hearts and minds"! How beautifully Nahuatl must translate directly into English!

This is a must-read for the student of ancient America, and not just because there's nothing else out there. But oh for a new translation!

20 people found this helpful

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Pillowtail

I highly recommend it for anyone wishing to understand the Aztec's understanding ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 12, 2015

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This is a well written and succinct introduction. Highly readable and the excellence is in the multitude of sources quoted in many places quite fully. I highly recommend it for anyone wishing to understand the Aztec's understanding of their place in the world. It also balances the various strands of thought, so that the attitude of individuals within Aztec society was not a monolithic thing, but a living and changing cultural phenomenon. Wonderful book.

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