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The Aztecs had an amazingly advanced society, and their culture still fascinates us today. Whether you’re a student, a tourist, or simply curious, here are a few essential facts about the Aztec people. Detail of first page from the Boturini « Continue »
Nearly five hundred years ago, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in Tenochtitlan. Emperor Moctezuma II received the Spaniards warmly with gifts of jewels and fine clothes, perhaps because he believed that the armored Spaniards marked the « Continue »
Location of Mayan speaking populations (Photo credit: Wikipedia) The documentary “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator” tells the story of the years of struggle to bring ex-dictator of Guatemala, Rios Montt, to justice. Montt is « Continue »
(Photo credit: The British Library) The Getty Research Institute announced last week the acquisition of an album comprising 45 photographs of Mayan sites and one photograph of the iconic Aztec calendar stone. These rare photographs were taken in « Continue »
(Photo credit: Sam Antonio Photography) In the United States, we tend to think that most Central Americans primarily speak Spanish, but many still speak Mayan languages. Among the tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors who have come from « Continue »
Cacao Pods (Theobroma cacao) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) The sweet, unique taste of chocolate is loved around the world. Even people in ancient times found it incredibly alluring. Chocolate was first discovered and eaten by the Olmecs around « Continue »
Detail of first page from the Boturini Codex, depicting the departure from Aztlán. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) A lot of people still picture the Aztecs as a warlike, barbaric race. But in case you didn’t know, the ancient Aztecs had an incredibly « Continue »
Ruins of Palenque (Photo credit: Wikipedia) For archeology and history enthusiasts, the ancient Mayan city located in what is now Palenque, Mexico has undeniable appeal. In the early 1950′s, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier « Continue »
(Photo credit: Wikipedia) On Monday, June 23, the Mayan People’s Council, also known as the CPO, declared a national strike in support of the Mayan people of Guatemala. Local indigenous people took to the streets in 29 different locations across « Continue »
Calakmul (Photo credit: Sergey Yeliseev) The Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul in Mexico’s Campeche state have been named “mixed natural and cultural” World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, according to the National « Continue »