First published 2004
Peter Ackroyd takes readers deep into the civilizations of ancient Mesoamerica, from the Zapotec City of the Gods to the blood-soaked temples of the Aztec empire. He examines the practice of human sacrifice that defined these cultures, exploring how ritual killing shaped their religious and political systems. Ackroyd moves through the royal palaces where emperors ruled vast territories and commanded elaborate ceremonies. He reveals the warfare that expanded empires and the architectural marvels that housed both gods and kings. The book traces the rise and fall of these powerful civilizations, showing how their violent rituals coexisted with sophisticated art, mathematics, and astronomy. Ackroyd transforms dry historical facts into vivid scenes of ancient life, making these distant cultures feel immediate and real.
Genres: history, archaeology, ancient, ancient-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-drama
Setting: Mesoamerica, Zapotec, Aztec
Period: Ancient
144 pages · Hardcover · Dorling Kindersley Child's H/B
Content warnings: violence