Inga Clendinnen's Aztecs: An Interpretation?

710 Words2 Pages

Although the Aztec civilization is a popular subject studied by the scholars, it tends to be one-dimensional: the elite and religion are the hearts of the study. The work here goes beyond that, as it tries to give us a new perspective on the “ordinary people”. The book studied here is titled Aztecs: An Interpretation, by Inga Clendinnen, first published in 1991. It studies the Aztecs people, also known as Mexicas, living in the empire that was Tenochtitlan, in the valley of Mexico. This work tries to be a reconstruction of the pre- colonial kingdom, before the arrival of the Spaniards in August 1521. Clendinnen successfully highlights how religion and sacrifices are perceived among the common people, and how they forge the lives of the inhabitants of Tenochtitlan. Nevertheless, even if she brings fascinating new elements, her lack of multiple sources puts doubt on the truth and accuracy of her statements. …show more content…

This idea can be proven in the chapters’ headings, as it not only studies the décor of history, the city, but also the different roles and the sacred, religious part, linking the city and it’s people together. In the “Local Perspective” chapters among others, she does a tremendous work of truly explaining the Aztec culture through poems, dances, prayers and others (p.101) because as we know, Aztecs did not evolve around the written texts, and thus their culture has to be studied

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