Treasures of the Great Temple

In 1978, when utility workers laying cable near the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City came upon the sculpture of Coyolxauhqui, ancient goddess of the Aztecs, archeologists determined they had found the site of the lost Aztec Templo Mayor in the ancient village of Tenochtitlan, on whose ruins Mexico City now stands. In this sumptuous book, resplendent with full color photographs, the statuary, furnishings, votive masks and other artifacts that were discovered during the excavations of the Great Temple, which was destroyed by the Spanish in 1521, are presented in all their glory. The author, who was in charge of the excavations and is now director of the Museum of the Great Temple, traces the history of the various buildings on the site and draws us into the culture and mythology of the Aztecs through his analysis of the works of art. His text and Zabe's superb photographs amply demonstrate why the Templo Mayor was for centuries the Aztec center of the universe. (Jan.)