Distinguished Professor of History Camilla Townsend has published a new book titled The Aztec Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Stories and Legends with publisher Thames and Hudson. The book is described on their website as being “the essential guide to the world of Aztec mythology, based on Nahuatl-language sources that challenge the colonial history passed down to us by the Spanish.”
Having published other works such as Indigenous Life After the Conquest, Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma, and Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs, Professor Townsend is no stranger to writing about Indigenous American history and stories. However, this time was different. After publishing Fifth Sun, many people expressed the idea that she should have spent more time in that book considering Aztec religion, especially human sacrifice. Taking this into consideration, Professor Townsend decided to publish a book entirely focused on their religion. This idea is what became her new book, The Aztec Myths.
Unlike most books on the subject, however, the only sources would be works written in Nahuatl by the Aztecs themselves. Professor Townsend would also consider the material culture of Mesoamerican peoples, but she would not allow the Spaniards (or any other Europeans) to speak. In her own words, Townsend believes “taking this approach has yielded interesting results: the Aztec religion ends up feeling as compelling and as humane as that of any other people.”
The Aztec Myths is also part of a “Myths” collection by the publisher on world religions, which includes works such as The Greek and Roman Myths, The Egyptian Myths, The Japanese Myths, and more. Despite their titles, the stories in these books, especially in The Aztec Myths, are not as fabled and fictitious as the word “myths” suggests. On the contrary, Townsend “draws from sixteenth-century historical annals and songs written down by Nahuatl-speaking peoples” in order to write a book on the Aztec religion that wasn’t dependent on what Spanish colonizers asserted. By giving Indigenous sources all the space, Professor Townsend is able to create a “rich tapestry of mythic tradition that defies modern expectations”.
For more information about The Aztec Myths and where to purchase it, visit the official Thames and Hudson website here.