In The Shadow Of Quetzalcoatl

Author : Merilee Grindle
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 067427833X
Total Pages : 401 pages
Book Rating : 4.32/5 ( download)

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Download or read book In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl written by Merilee Grindle and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2023 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The gripping story of a pioneering anthropologist whose exploration of Aztec cosmology, rediscovery of ancient texts, and passion for collecting helped shape our understanding of pre-Columbian Mexico. Where do human societies come from? The drive to answer this question inspired a generation of archaeologists and treasure-seekers who, following Darwin, began to look beyond the Bible for the origins of civilizations. Proud, disciplined, ferociously territorial, the inimitable Zelia Nuttall threw herself into the study of Mexico's past, eager to bring the tools of science to the study of ancient civilizations. A child of the San Francisco Gold Rush, Zelia immersed herself in the tales of conquistadores and pored through records of the Inquisition. She knew Nahuatl, the language of the Aztec and Toltec, and was skilled at deciphering their pictographic stories. She was also conversant with their gods and myths, as well as the stars by which they regulated their rituals and other activities. The first to fully decode the Aztec calendar stone, Zelia Nuttall was a protégé of Frederick Putnam, who offered her a job at Harvard's Peabody Museum. But as a divorced mother with a dwindling fortune, she preferred to live in Mexico, her mother's birthplace, where she became a vital bridge between Mexican and American anthropologists through war and revolution. The first biography of a true original, In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl reveals how, from the 1880s to the 1930s, scholar-collectors like Zelia Nuttall shaped America's museums. Merilee Grindle captures the appeal and contradictions of this trailblazing woman, who contributed so much to the new field of anthropology until a newly professionalized generation trained in universities overshadowed her remarkable achievements.

Author : Merilee Serrill Grindle
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780674278356
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.56/5 ( download)

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Download or read book In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl written by Merilee Serrill Grindle and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first biography of Zelia Nuttall (1857-1933), a pioneering Mexican-American anthropologist whose work on Aztec cosmology and mastery of ancient codices helped shape our understanding of pre-Columbian Mexico. Grindle captures the appeal and contradictions of this trailblazing woman, who brought a new rigor to the study of ancient civilizations.

Author : Ernesto Novato
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781077874022
Total Pages : 52 pages
Book Rating : 4.22/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Quetzalcoatl written by Ernesto Novato and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-03 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading Gilgamesh, Hercules, Aeneas, and Lancelot are instantly recognized as mythological heroes in the West, evoking visions of Persian monsters, ghastly labors, and the founding and glorification of cities, but the name Quetzalcoatl is as mysterious as its spelling. Even those who have come across his name when learning about the history of Mesoamerica - particularly the Aztec and the god's role in the Spanish conquest of their empire - are often unaware that the Mesoamerican deity has tales that equal any of those in the repertoire of the mythological figures mentioned above, and the tale of his transmission into modern times is no less fascinating. As archaeologists quickly learned, there are numerous temples dedicated to Quetzalcoatl all across Mesoamerica. From the Aztec to the Maya, Quetzalcoatl - the Feathered Serpent - rears his beautiful head from magnificent relief carvings in temples no less grandiose than the largest pyramid in the region, that of Cholula in Mexico. Furthermore, thousands of people still gather in the great Mayan city of Chichén Itzá during the spring and autumn equinoxes to watch the shadow of the Feathered Serpent slither its way down the temple known as El Castillo. Worship of the Feathered Serpent can be traced back 2,000 years, and the Serpent's cults appear all across Mesoamerica. The Olmec, the Aztec, and both the Yucatec and K'iche Mayans all had different names for this deity, including Kukulkan, Q'uq'umatz, and Tohil, but his iconography is curiously consistent over several centuries across the region. Depending on who was worshipping him, the Feathered Serpent was a creator-god, the god of the winds, the god of the rains, or merely a near-divine ancestor whose militaristic ways won his followers land and riches before he was eventually marred by lavishness and iniquity, resulting in his demise. To some of the invading Spanish conquistadores, Quetzalcoatl was little more than another demon the "natives" had been worshipping before they were kind enough to bring God to the New World. To others, however, Quetzalcoatl was precisely evidence of the spread of Christianity reaching Mesoamerica long before the conquistadores ever arrived. Much of what modern scholars depend on to understand Quetzalcoatl, however, comes from the period of the Spanish invasion of Mesoamerica, and therefore stories of his blowing the sun across the sky have become mixed with those linking him with Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, this makes for a fascinating picture of a deity whose image has been shaped by some of the most famous civilizations in history and continues to be adopted by people today, often for more than spiritual purposes (as is evident in the adoption of Quetzalcoatl imagery in Mexico's struggle for independence). As a result, Quetzalcoatl was and remains one of the most interesting and enlightening stories ever to have come out of any civilization, and his stories offer a better understanding of the Mesoamerican world. Quetzalcoatl: The History and Legacy of the Feathered Serpent God in Mesoamerican Mythology examines the origins of the deity and his place in the pantheon of gods. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Quetzalcoatl like never before.

Author : Simon Levack
Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 031234841X
Total Pages : 422 pages
Book Rating : 4.10/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Shadow of the Lords written by Simon Levack and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2006-09-05 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Before he can solve the mystery of his son's disappearance, Yaotl discovers a murder and must use all his wits to stay alive for Lord Feathered-in-Black and his henchmen are never far away.

Author : Tony Shearer
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 180 pages
Book Rating : 4.73/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Lord of the Dawn written by Tony Shearer and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new edition of the 1971 classic by Tony Shearer is about Quetzalcoatl, the great Indian culture hero of ancient Mexico. Learn about his birth, life, and teachings; and especially his exciting prophecy of the thirteen heavens and the nine hells, after which the Tree of Life shall blossom with a fruit never known before. Background information about the Eagle Bowl and the sacred calendar, by which the people lived, gives the reader a clearer understanding of the story.

Author : Pierre Honore
Publisher : Adventures Unlimited Press
ISBN 13 : 9781931882576
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.76/5 ( download)

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Download or read book In Search of Quetzalcoatl written by Pierre Honore and published by Adventures Unlimited Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pre-historic Native American legends tell of white men with beards landing on the shores of the New World, bringing knowledge of science, engineering, and laws, and more. This work introduces readers to the mysterious heritage of South and Central American civilisation.

Author : Enrique Florescano
Publisher : JHU Press
ISBN 13 : 9780801871016
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.18/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Myth of Quetzalcoatl written by Enrique Florescano and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2002-11-29 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this comprehensive study, Enrique Florescano traces the spread of the worship of the Plumed Serpent, and the multiplicity of interpretations that surround him, by comparing the Palenque inscriptions (ca. A.D. 690), the Vienna Codex (pre-Hispanic Conquest), the Historia de los Mexicanos (1531), the Popul Vuh (ca. 1554), and numerous other texts. He also consults and reproduces archeological evidence from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, demonstrating how the myth of Quetzalcoatl extends throughout Mesoamerica.

Author : Linnea Wren
Publisher : University Press of Florida
ISBN 13 : 0813052033
Total Pages : 319 pages
Book Rating : 4.38/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Landscapes of the Itza written by Linnea Wren and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2017-12-12 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "An insightful collection, rich in new data and insights; at once the harvest of a generation of fieldwork and the foundation for work to come."--Mary E. Miller, coauthor of The Spectacle of the Late Maya Court: Reflections on the Murals of Bonampak "Reminds us that there are always new things to learn about iconic places like Chichen Itza and that we can fall in love with them all over again."--Jennifer P. Mathews, coeditor of Lifeways in the Northern Maya Lowlands: New Approaches to Archaeology in the Yucatan Peninsula "Long overdue. Brings together new data and interpretations about Chichen Itza through a refreshing mix of art history and archaeology, particularistic interpretation, and cross-cultural modeling."--Scott R. Hutson, author of The Ancient Urban Maya: Neighborhoods, Inequality, and Built Form Chichen Itza, the legendary capital and trading hub of the late Maya civilization, continues to fascinate visitors and researchers with unanswered questions about its people, rulers, rituals, economics, religion, politics, and even chronology. Addressing many of these current debates, contributors to Landscapes of the Itza question when the city's construction was completed, what the purposes of its famous pyramid and other buildings were, whether the city maintained strict territorial borders, and how the city's influence was felt in smaller neighboring settlements such as Popola, Ichmul de Morley, and Ek Balam. Special attention is given to the site's visual culture, including its architecture, epigraphy, ceramics, sculptures, and murals. This volume is a much-needed update on recent archaeological and art historical work being done at Chichen Itza, offering new ways of understanding the site and its role in the Yucatan landscape.

Author : Neil Baldwin
Publisher : PublicAffairs
ISBN 13 : 1610392698
Total Pages : 397 pages
Book Rating : 4.93/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Legends of the Plumed Serpent written by Neil Baldwin and published by PublicAffairs. This book was released on 2012-08-28 with total page 397 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Meticulously pieced together from personal experiences that come with years of travel, an extensive knowledge of the historic and scholarly works, and a deep appreciation of Latin American art and culture—both ancient and modern—critically-acclaimed biographer Neil Baldwin has created a mosaic of words and images retelling the myth of the Plumed Serpent (or Quetzalcóatl) as it has evolved through the millennia. He has also created an essential guidebook for the armchair traveller and passionate tourist alike. Only a few hours by air from the United States are the mysteries and hauntingly beautiful ruins of Mexico. Among the vines intertwined in the frail latticework of crumbling palaces, spiraling geometric motifs covering vast walls that sink beneath the jungle, and nearly vertical temple steps leading hundreds of feet to a dizzying view of sky and earth, images of Quetzalcóatl abound. The fanged, bug-eyed feathered serpent thrusts his malevolent, sneering head from the pyramid at Teotihuacán; he swims in a river of rock around the temple at Xochicalco; and at Chichén Itzá, serpent and jaguar dance on a trail of stone, their embrace spawning a monstrous snake with clawed forefeet. Depicted as part man, snake, and bird, the Plumed Serpent is the earliest known creation myth from Mesoamerica, the region spanning Mexico and most of Central America. He embodies good and evil, sky and earth, feast and famine—the duality of life itself. Steep, massive temples were built in his honor at Teotihuacán, the vast city of ruins near today’s Mexico City, and at Chichén Itzá in northern Yucatán, the intricate complex that includes the famed ballcourt. Moctezuma, the ruler of the Aztecs, mistook Hernán Cortéz and the invasion of the Spanish in 1519 for the return of Quetzalcóatl. The Catholic Church with its army of Franciscan monks adapted his legend to introduce the indigenous people to Catholicism. The myth enhanced Emiliano Zapata’s stature as a latter-day Quetzalcóatl during the Mexican Revolution. Diego Rivera and the modern muralists invoked his image to include indigenous themes in their state-sponsored art. And Quetzalcóatl inspired English author D. H. Lawrence to write a new “American novel.” These and many other tales are recounted in the words and images of Neil Baldwin’s Legends of the Plumed Serpent. Whether sharing a moment of reflection among the breathtaking ruins, delving into the historic role of Quetzalcóatl during the Spanish Conquest, or tracing the themes of revolution and rebirth in the art of Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros, Neil Baldwin’s enlightening prose captures the imagination. Accompanied by numerous illustrations—many photographs taken by the author, and others painstakingly researched and gathered over the past decade—Legends of the Plumed Serpent is a true labor of love.

Author : Han Tümertekin
Publisher : Harvard Graduate School of Design
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 68 pages
Book Rating : 4.65/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Han Tümertekin written by Han Tümertekin and published by Harvard Graduate School of Design. This book was released on 2007 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication presents the architecture of Turkish architect Han Tumertekin to the English-speaking world and examines his ability to engage in some of the difficult issues confronting contemporary architects: suburban tract development, landscape and environment, and the challenges of practicing in different countries throughout the world.