Treasures of the Great Temple: Art and Symbolism of the Aztec Empire

The ruins of the Great Temple of the Aztecs in what is now Mexico City is a prime relic of Mesoamerican civilization. Since the modern excavation of the site began in 1978, not only have the principle phases of the temple's construction been revealed but also thousands of widely disparate offerings have emerged. As the principle archaeologist of the excavation and now as director of the Templo Mayor Museum, Moctezuma has gained a unique understanding and appreciation of this material. Unfortunately, this handsome gathering of plates reflects little of the author's proven abilities as a synthesizer. Instead, it gives a half-hearted guide to the excavation and a series of fragmentary evocations of objects now in the site museum. Although not as sumptuously illustrated, Mocteczuma's carefully wrought and yet nontechnical The Great Temple of the Aztecs (Thames & Hudson, 1988) is a more informative survey of the excavation and its relationship to its historical context; his lavishly produced The Aztecs (Rizzoli, 1989) provides a superior overview of the topic and contains much additional material. - Robert Cahn, Fash ion Inst. of Technology, New York Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. Translation of: Obras maestras del Templo Mayor Includes bibliographical references (p. 178) Death of the gods -- Resurrection of the gods -- Symbolism of the great temple -- Buried stones -- Museum of the great temple -- Huitzilopochtli : war and death -- Tribute paying regions -- Warrior grandeur -- Legend of coyolxauhqui -- Tlaloc : water and life -- Fauna of the great temple -- Conquest -- Map of archeological site Michel Zabe's 140 original color photographs of sculptures on display at the Museum of the Great Temple in Mexico City, and the accompanying text by Moctezuma (director of the Museum and for ten years the chief on-site archaeologist of the Great Temple excavations), document the ceremony and symbolism of the Aztec empire. 10x11". Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. A collection of master works uncovered during excavations of Tenochtitlan, ancient city of the Aztecs. Jewelry, masks, statuary, vases, & ritual offerings crafted in gold, ceramic & stone from cultures within the Aztec Empire. This book will delight both serious students & aficionados of pre-Colombian art. Depicts the many artifacts "uncovered during a 10-year excavation in the center of Mexico City," now housed in the Museum of the Great Temple

Masterpieces of art from Aztec Great Temple. Sumptuous book. --Publishers Weekly

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