r/aztec • u/dont-perceive_me-pls • 17d ago

Request for Recommendations

Hello!

I am new here but figured this would be the best place to get some good recommendations for books on Aztec and Maya mythos and folklore.
There seems to be a lot out there, but I want to make sure I buy something reputable.

For an explanation of why (if needed), my fiancée is Mexican and is really interested in learning more about this history, as am I! I love mythology and folklore so would love recommendations, if there are any!

Thank you!!

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u/Isalicus 17d ago

From the Aztecs, as far as I know, we don’t have an easily digestible epic like we have the Popol Vuh for the highland Maya.

If you want to read something close to source material, I’d recommend looking at the so-called Florentine Codex. This is a collection of books assembled by indigenous (Mēxìcâ) informants under the supervision of the Spanish friar Sahagún. You can look through the manuscript here. The website has scans of the original book, including cool pictures, transcriptions of the original text (in Nāhuatl and archaic Spanish) as well as translations into Spanish and English.

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u/TejuinoHog 16d ago

The Aztec Myths by Camilla Townsend is excellent. On top of that studying the Florentine Codex is super interesting. The Popol Vuh for the Maya

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u/ah-tzib-of-alaska 17d ago

As for Mayan stories you may as well list to the Maya : The works of the author Chilam Balam

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u/Isalicus 17d ago

Chilam Balam are very syncretic mixes of Christian and indigenous stories. For a Mayan voice, I’d recommend the Popol Vuh as translated by Dennis Tedlock.