Lawrence Public Library

The Aztecs, new perspectives, Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

illustrationsmaps

index present

non fiction

The Aztecs

bibliography

57641467

Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout

Understanding ancient civilizations

new perspectives

pt. 1. Introduction -- 1. Introduction -- Overview -- The issue of jargon terminology versus "plain English" -- Anthropology : with what kind of animal are we dealing? -- Contributions made by other fields of study -- Who were the Aztecs? -- Why is it important to study them? -- Overview by chapter -- Sources of information on the Aztecs -- pt. 2. Aztec civilization -- 2. Location of the Aztec civilization and environmental setting -- Location -- Environmental setting -- 3. Historical and chronological setting -- An overview of Aztec studies -- Chronological framework -- The Aztec imperial lineage -- Where do we get the dates for Aztec chronology? -- Written sources : Precolumbian and colonial documents -- 4. Origins, growth, and decline of Aztec civilization -- Aztlan : place of origin -- The heyday of the Aztec -- The conquest -- 5. Economics -- The internal economic system -- Long-distance trade -- Regional and local-level trade -- Aztec subsistence methods : how did the Aztecs feed themselves? -- 6. Social organization and social structure -- Aztec social organization -- Social stratification -- Aztec life cycle -- Settlement patterns : Aztec cities and farms -- Demographic estimates : how many Aztecs were there? -- Case study : population estimates for Tenochtitlan -- 7. Politics -- The archaeological record and ancient political systems -- The concept of Aztec rulership -- Imperial succession -- Dangers inherent in the system of uncertain succession -- Administration in the capital -- Provincial administration -- Rural political organization -- Warfare -- Overall aspects of Aztec warfare -- Cessation of hostilities -- 8. Religion and ideology -- The concept of Teotl -- Aztec creation stories -- Belief in heavens and underworld -- Confession -- Sacrifice -- Politics and religion -- Aztec religious ceremonies -- Aztec religion and ideology : some final thoughts -- 9. Material culture -- Sources -- Architecture -- Public works -- Domestic buildings -- Ceramics -- Stone tool production -- The arts -- 10. Intellectual accomplishments -- Mathematics -- Calendar -- Aztec cosmovision -- Astronomy -- Writing -- The Aztec education system -- Aztec philosophy -- Aztec legal system -- Medicine -- Art, music, and dance -- 11. The Aztecs : bloodthirsty or people like us? -- Human sacrifice -- What happened to Aztec culture and its people? -- Politics -- The introduction of Christianity : implementation and implication -- Future directions -- Glossary -- Chronology