Gods of Sun and Sacrifice: Aztec & Maya Myth

Myth and Mankind

by Tony Allan, Tom Lowenstein

The ancient Aztecs and Maya, and the cultures that preceded them, had a complex and colorful mythology. According to one Aztec myth, for instance, the sun needs sustenance from human blood and hearts in order to rise and set. In a Maya creation myth, humans come into being after the gods shed their blood onto corn created from bones. In many of these ancient cultures, real bloodletting and sacrifice was part of their ceremonial life.

These fantastic stories are captures in Gods of Sun & Sacrifice: Aztec and Maya Myth.

Genres: Mythology, History, Nonfiction, Folklore, Reference, Religion, Anthropology

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

After studying History at Oxford, Tony Allan worked for the British Broadcasting Company and as a magazine editor before turning to book publishing, including the Myth and Mankind series.

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good basic book on the cultural and religios aspects of Mesoamerican culture. I want to read more now!

[Marilyn Fontane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gods of Sun & Sacrifice: Aztec and Maya Myth by Tony Allan (Time-Life Myth and Mankind series) is an interesting book. At least superficially it covers myths that are known from the Olmec to present times. The stories, the beliefs behind them, are gory and hostile, but apparently that is how this group of people saw the universe. The gods are indifferent to mankind and want blood to sustain them and to do favors, such as keep the crops growing, from their worshipers. Of course, our knowledge is limited because when the Spanish came to the new world, they tried to demolish the culture (and their diseases for which the natives had no immunity were even worse), and then the Catholic church tried to destroy their religious beliefs to foster Catholicism; in the process they destroyed temples, artifacts and especially books. However, some remained (often in European museums) and the people themselves, while ostensibly Catholic, kept many of their beliefs and rituals anyway.
I found it interesting that in their afterlife they might go to any one of 13 levels of "heaven" (levels of sky where conditions were pleasant) or any one of 9 levels of "hell" (underground where conditions were either unpleasant or where they faded into non-existence). [If you were cremated, as warriors often were, your ashes could float up to the sky, but if you were buried, as the vast majority of people were, you went down into the earth.] Reminds me a bit of Dante's Divine Comedy. Many of their other stories too have counterparts in the Judeo-Christian mythology. The flood. The serpent. Etc. But overall I found it far darker, and certainly with the knowledge presented here, there is no reason to worry over morality; it has no effect on your eternal being.
The book has lovely photos of both artifacts and temples. It is easy to read. It does provide at least an introduction to their beliefs. But since they believed this (the fifth) world would end in 2012, we don't have to worry about its accuracy.
The final chapter in each volume of this series is labeled the legacy. The Mesoamerican legacy falls into three parts. A very short history is provided about how leaders like Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata have tried to rescue the lives of the natives from the degradation imposed by the Spanish who turned them into slaves, in fact, if not name. Second, it talks about modern artists, such as Diego Rivera and one of his wives Frida Kahlo, who were influenced by the artwork remaining. And third, it talks about how the religion was blended into Catholicism to create what they call Mexican Catholicism, using examples such as Day of the Dead.
It provides an interesting background for present day Mexico, Belize and Guatemala and the pyramids and monuments that remain.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great overview of MesoAmerican mythology, with a little history for reference. What I enjoyed about this book was references to the existing source material; much of what was written down pre-conquest has been lost, so there is acknowledgment how post-conquest sources on both Mayan and Aztec mythology can be influenced by the Europeans who recorded these tales

While it doesnt go into great depth, it is a good introductory book for anyone looking to understand the beliefs of the Mayans and the Aztecs (or rather, the Mexica people as they called themselves). My interest in this topic stemmed from listening to the episodes on the Fall of Civilizations podcast, which I highly recommend for anyone interested in learning more, or just a fan of history : https://fallofcivilizationspodcast.com/.
The photos and art was a nice touch for visuals as well. My only "complaint" if I'm to be honest was the somewhat gruesome descriptions of the Aztec/Mexica human sacrifices. While they undeniably did occur, as supported by archeological evidence, the description of one particular god's worship felt a bit pulpy to me, and given that the Spanish did exaggerate the human sacrifices in order to justify their conquests to the rest of Europe, I do kind of wonder how accurate that was.

In any case, if you're interested in learning about MesoAmerican beliefs, it's a nice place to start.

[Mehmet Baran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books presents a quick introduction into the mesoamerican worldwiev. It is surprisingly complete for a 130+ page summary. As always in such summaries, the book is a bit diffuse, jumping from topic to topic. I regard it as an entry portal to deeper books on the subject, like Kay Almere Read's "time and sacrifice in the aztec cosmos"..
The book is very attractively packaged and it has very beautiful and informative photographs inside.
One remark: Mesoamerican religions had practiced human sacrifice, and the book sometimes makes a very depressing reading.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book about Mesoamerican Gods. So so strange and their art was astounding. I am curious how much in this book is outdated with new research.

2012 is right around the corner and I certainly am not ready to face Tezcatlipoca.