The Ancient Kingdoms of Mexico

by Nigel Davies

This outstanding study spans four rich civilizations in ancient Mexico, from 1500 B.C. to the Spanish conquest soon after The "Olmecs," hunters and farmers who worshipped the man-jaguar and became the first great carvers in stone and jade.The culture of "Teotihuacan," with its sumptuous palaces and gigantic Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon.The "Toltec" dynasty, whose temples, wreathed with carvings of predatory beasts, serpents and warriors, testify to a new militaristic phase in Mexican history.The "Aztecs," fierce empire-builders whose gods demanded complex rituals and the blood of human sacrifice.Writing for students, travellers and non-specialists, Nigel Davies puts these fascinating cultures into historical context. Drawing on the latest research, he discusses their arts, beliefs and customs, and their changing economic and political conditions, to build up a vivid picture of life in the kingdoms of ancient Mexico.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, The Americas, Native American

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 1982

Reviews

[C.E.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy interesante lectura, pero pierde una estrella, sensiblemente, por elementos posiblemente desactualizados, y otra más porque la lectura puede ser bien tediosa y me perdí en varias ocasiones.

[Paul Fitz-George · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good primer for the history of ancient Mexico and its empires. It was a bit juddery in parts though, going back and forward from this empire to that one, which I found complicated the flow.

The pantheon of gods also suffered from a lack of clarity and came out a tad confusing. Nevertheless a good overview, provided you can keep astride of where you are time period, architecture and people wise.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

There must be fascinating books comparing the development of civilisation in Middle America with the more familiar developments in Eurasia. This isn't one of them.

A book so gripping I found it hard to pick up.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is from 1980, so I'm not sure how up-to-date a lot of these findings are, however, I found the book generally fascinating as the author is able to find a through-line through some 3000 years of mesoamerican civilization. Unlike other books that I have read that offer very BROAD histories (I don't know why I keep doing this to myself), this book actually heats up in the closing chapters as the events of the Aztec kingdom play out in much more detail than anything that has come before.

My interest going into the book was merely Teotihuacan. I was going on a short trip to Mexico City to see the pyramids, and I wanted to get a better sense of what I was looking at. But though Teotihuacan has a mysterious dearth of documentation, through this book, I was able to make out the threads that connect these mysterious pyramids to the Olmecs and the Aztecs, a thousand years in either direction.

The evolution of mesoamerican civilizations, with its highly planned cities, and glorious altars reveals an mind-altering view of cultural possibilities. In this case, one that involves ritual human sacrifice, which ironically, proves to be a powerful instrument of bonding.

I think I might be a little generous with this book because its closing chapters really brought things into view, and with some supplementary materials, and google searches, was able to get my head around the Flayed God and the Smoking Mirror God , in such a way that I can't stop thinking about them.

[Rodrigo Campos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Más que un libro, es todo un tratado de algunas culturas antiguas de México, la verdad es que el libro está lleno de información que es muy relevante e interesante, a mi me gusta mucho conocer acerca de las culturas antiguas de mi país y este libro ha complementado con mucha información relevante, amena y apegada a lo que podría ser la realidad.

Creo que el autor "Gary Jennings" que escribió la novela "Azteca" debió basarse en este libro pues maneja la misma información, pero a modo de novela.

Para cualquier persona que quiera leer un tratado serio sobre Teotihuacanos, Toltecas, Olmecas y Aztecas, es una obra imprescindible.

[Cordelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the first text I read for a Colonial Latin American History course. It is not the easiest to get through, but I found it increasingly more interesting as I read. If you are more interested in ancient Mexican history, you will enjoy this book.

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Includes the mysterious Olmec and Teotihaunaco civilizations. Not done yet but so far so good.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly readable and interesting.

[Antti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great insight to Mexico's past civilisations.