| A Scattering of Jades: Stories, Poems, and Prayers of the Aztecs Contributor(s): Sullivan, Thelma D. (Translator) |
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ISBN: 0816523371 ISBN-13: 9780816523375 Publisher: University of Arizona Press OUR PRICE: $24.70 Product Type: Paperback Published: March 2003 Annotation: Long before Europeans came to America, the Aztecs created a unique culture based on myth and a love of language. Myths and poems were an important part of their culture, and a successful speech by a royal orator was pronounced "a great scattering of jades." A Scattering of Jades is an anthology of the best of Aztec literature, compiled by a noted anthropologist and a skilled translator of Nahuatl. It is a storehouse of myths, narratives, poems, and proverbs -- as well as prayers and songs to the Aztec gods that provide insight into how these people's perception of the cosmos drove their military machine. Featuring a translation of the Mexicayotl -- a work as important today for Mexico's concept of nationhood and ideology as it was at the time of the Conquest -- these selections eloquently depict the everyday life of this ancient people and their unique worldview. A Scattering of Jades is an unsurpassed window on ancient Mesoamerican civilization and an essential companion for anyone studying Aztec history, religion, or culture. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Social Science | Folklore & Mythology - Social Science | Anthropology - General |
| Dewey: 398.208 |
| LCCN: 2002045150 |
| Physical Information: 0.64" H x 5.68" W x 8.48" (0.72 lbs) 271 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Long before Europeans came to America, the Aztecs created a unique culture based on myth and a love of language. Myths and poems were an important part of their culture, and a successful speech by a royal orator was pronounced a great scattering of jades. A Scattering of Jades is an anthology of the best of Aztec literature, compiled by a noted anthropologist and a skilled translator of Nahuatl. It is a storehouse of myths, narratives, poems, and proverbs--as well as prayers and songs to the Aztec gods that provide insight into how these people's perception of the cosmos drove their military machine. Featuring a translation of the Mexicayotl--a work as important today for Mexico's concept of nationhood and ideology as it was at the time of the Conquest--these selections eloquently depict the everyday life of this ancient people and their unique worldview. A Scattering of Jades is an unsurpassed window on ancient Mesoamerican civilization and an essential companion for anyone studying Aztec history, religion, or culture. |