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The Aztecs and Mixtecs of central and southern Mexico used a sophisticated system of writing based on pictures rather than an alphabet. Books were made of paper, hide, or cloth, usually screen-folded or rolled. Only 11 survived the Spanish conquest, but pictographic book production continued in the same tradition into the 1600s. The books covered many kinds of subjects. Boone analyzes the histories-- five Precolumbian and 160 from the early colonial period. Dates are written in the Aztec and Mixtec calendar system. The books record the origins of deities and people, founding of kingdoms, dynastic successions and legitimacy, and dramatic events such as wars, famines, earthquakes, eclipses, and epidemics. In the colonial period, the books were accepted as evidence in court cases for validating genealogies and property rights. Boone summarizes the work of previous scholars and explains native concepts of history, book production, and the writing system. She analyzes and compares the contents of major groups of history books. Boone is a leading authority on interpretation of the native books and their sociocultural context. Her study is clearly written, broadly comprehensive, rich in fascinating detail, and extensively illustrated. Highly recommended. All levels. ; California State University, Long Beach
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
