History and Mythology of the Aztecs: The Codex Chimalpopoca

By John Bierhorst

Book Overview

One of the great documents of colonial Mexico, the Codex Chimalpopoca chronicles the rise of Aztec civilization and preserves the mythology on which it was based. Its two complementary texts, Annals of Cuauhtitlan and Legend of the Suns, record the pre-Cort sian history of the Valley of Mexico together with firsthand versions of that region's myths. Of particular interest are the stories of the hero-god Quetzalcoatl, for which the Chimalpopoca is the premier source. John Bierhorst's work is the first major scholarship on the Codex Chimalpopoca in more than forty years. His is the first edition in English and the first in any language to include the complete text of the Legend of the Suns. The precise, readable translation not only contributes to the study of Aztec history and literature but also makes the codex an indispensable reference for Aztec cultural topics, including land tenure, statecraft, the role of women, the tribute system, warfare, and human sacrifice.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816518866
• ISBN13: 9780816518869
• Release Date: June 1998
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press
• Length: 238 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An excellent scholarly work

The book is an excellent base for the study of prehispanic Mexico. It is extremely useful also for the student of Nahuatl language because it also offers the full original version of these texts in the companion volume. It gives a slightly different point of view to these two fundamental texts from the spanish translation by Primo Feliciano Velazquez. Although less poetic than the spanish version, it is probably closer to the litteral meaning of the nahuatl original, and thus very useful for the understanding of each fragment separately. It is a classical work which can be bought in full confidence.

Fine resource

From the Eco Travels in Latin America website - This book offers a new translation that is literally a new telling of this Aztec codex. A lively story, complete with a thorough index - it's the first publication of this work in English as well. The chronicle presents background on the origin of the year count, the life of Quetzalcoatl and the wars of the Mexica.