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A Scattering of Jades: Stories, Poems, and Prayers of the Aztecs
A Scattering of Jades Stories Poems and Prayers of the Aztecs Author:T. J. Knab (Editor), Thelma D. Sullivan (Translator) 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 liter... more »ature, 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.« less