Brilliant book which accompanied the Royal Academy exhibition on Aztecs (Nov 2002-April 2003). Lots of great black & white and colour photos, plus full description in appendices of each item photographed.

Book split into 11 major sections for the exhibition each with a short introduction which places context around items catalogued.

9 main essays: 1) Introduction, 2) Aztecs' search for the past, 3) Cosmovision, religion and calendar, 4) Society - economy, tribute and warfare, 5) The Templo Mayor - the great temple and warfare 6) Art at the time of the Aztecs 7) Aztec codices, literature & philosophy, 8) The Conquest, 9)Exhibitions and collectors in Britain ( )

I apologize for not being able to figure out how to add accents using my laptop. I'm no expert on the Aztecs, but I found the articles interesting and the photographs well worth having. I wish I'd received this book under happier circumstances, but I am glad I have it. These are the articles within:

Traces of an Identity by Beatriz de la Fuente, pp. 38-53 (1 double, 5 full & 2 partial-page photos)
The Basin of Mexico as a Habitat for Pre-Hispanic Farmers by William T. Sanders, pp. 56-68 (2 double & 4 full-page photos)
The Harmony Between People and Animals in the Aztec World by Mercedes de la Garza, pp. 70-81 (1 double, 4 full, & 6 half-page photos)
Precolumbian Man and His Cosmos by Felipe Solis, pp. 84-99 (1 double, 4 full, & 4 partial-page photos)
Origins and Forms of Art in the Aztec Empire by Felipe Solis, pp. 100-109 (4 full, 2 half, & 10 partial-page photos)
The Olmec by Ann Cyphers, pp. 110-113 (2 full-page photos)
Teotihuacan by Linda Manzanilla, pp. 114-123 (6 full, 3 half, & 2 quarter-page photos)
Tula and the Tolteca by Richard A. Diehl, pp. 124-129 (1 double & 2 full-page photos)
Excavations at the Templo Mayor by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, pp. 132-145 (4 full & 4 partial-page photos -- 1 seems to be a double-page, but the photo is only on p. 140. P.141 is all black except for a few tiny words and numbers describing the photo.)
The Templo Mayor at Tenochtitlan by Juan Alberto Roman Berrelleza, pp. 146-165 (8 full, 11 half, & 10 quarter-page photos)
Aztec Religion: Creation, Sacrifice, and Renewal by Karl Taube, pp. 168-177 (2 full & 1 half-page photos)
Axis Mundi by Roberto Velasco Alonso, pp. 178-193 (1 double, 10 full, & 5 partial-page photos)
Gods and Rituals by Guilhem Olivier, pp. 194-211 (9 full & 12 half, & 4 quarter-page photos)
Painted Books and Calendars by Elizabeth Hill Boone, pp. 212-219 (6 full-page photos)
Nobles and Commoners by Michael E. Smith, pp. 222-229 (3 full & 1 partial-page photos)
Everyday Life in Tenochtitlan by Michael E. Smith, pp. 230-247 (1 double, 10 full & 8 half-page photos)
The Aztec Empire by Richard F. Townsend, pp. 250-263 (1 double, 6 full, & 4 partial-page photos)
The Provinces of the Aztec Empire by Frances F. Berdan, pp. 264-269 (1 double, 1 full, & 1 partial-page photos)
The Population of the Mexico and Toluca Valleys by Perla Valle Perez, pp. 270-279 (5 full & 1 partial-page photos)
The Domain of Coatlalpan by Jose Luis Rojas Martinez, pp. 284-287 (1 full & 2 half-page photos)
The Mixteca by Nelly M. Robles Garcia, pp. 288-299 (4 full & 12 half-page photos)
The Huaxteca and the Totonaca by Felipe Solis, pp.300-307 (5 full & 2 half-page photos)
The Tarascan Empire by Phil C. Weigand, pp. 310-321 (2 double & 2 full-page photos)
Tarascan Art by Roberto Velasco Alonso, pp. 322-331 (2 full & 11 half-page photos)
The Conquest as Seen by Mexica-Aztecs by Miguel Leon-Portilla, pp. 334-341 (3 full & 2 partial-page photos)
The Spanish Conquest of Tenochtitlan by Pablo Escalante Gonzalbo, pp. 342-351 (1 double, 5 full, & 2 half-page photos)

There are also full or double-page photos for the title pages of the sections into which the articles fall. I cannot stress enough that this book is worth having for the photos alone. There are photos of statues, jewelry, paintings, maps, native book illustrations, buildings, rooms, pots... I must admit to wishing I had reproductions of some of those statuettes and jewelry, especially the animals.

I have the paperback. The pages were sewn together, but the cover appears to have been just glued on. I kept this book flat when I read it and the bottom half of the cover came loose as I read the second half.

If you have any interest in Mesoamerican art, buy this book. Read the articles as the hot fudge sauce on the ice cream. ( )

A great book about the Aztecs: it covers the most representattive aspects of this culture and the photographs are great. ( )