Publisher's Synopsis
When tracing the history of the development of human progress, we use the word "civilization" to refer to the rapid urban development of certain indigenous cultures - especially contrasted to other, less advanced and primitive cultures. While all Mesoamerican civilizations are regarded as having engaged in human sacrifice, the Aztecs, if their own records are anything to go by, changed it into an art form with a religious and mythological significance that cannot be emphasized enough. Moreover, there is a substantial debate between historians who cannot agree on the degree to which the Aztecs engaged in ritual sacrifice. Obviously, the Aztecs were much more than just barbaric savages - they had a thriving economy, a well-built system of roadways and irrigation, and they were aesthetically inclined, especially towards architecture. Most of the information we have about the Aztecs is through their architecture and their feats, which parallel the Egyptians and continue to baffle and astonish in equal measure. This book aims to be a detailed overview of the Aztec civilization - how it developed and thrived, its economic practices, its unique and elaborate religious myths, and finally its tragic and untimely end.
