Description: "Of the many overviews of the Aztecs, this is the first to break from the traditional focus on the nobility and on urban life in Tenochtitlan. Within the framework provided by the chronicles and by monument archaeology, Smith summarizes the results of archaeological research conducted largely in the past 30 years into the everyday lives of ordinary people in the villages, hamlets, and farmsteads from many regions of central Mexico. His method permits a fresh view of such topics as agricultural methods, population size, market system, relations between city-states and the empire, and even human sacrifice. This most comprehensive survey to date on the Aztecs belongs in libraries." Library Journal "... no introductory volume on this subject is more reliable overall; in a field in which beginners are all too often misled by their guides, Smith shows welcome restraint and rare common sense." English Historical Review "A compelling reinterpretation of the standard history of the Aztec empire.' Booklist "An engaging read. I recommend it to anyone interested in the Aztecs, both general readers like myself (approaching the subject for the first time) and those with some background in the area seeking an overview." Danny Yee's Book Reviews

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