Religions of Mesoamerica: Cosmovision and Ceremonial Centers

by Davíd Carrasco

A vivid introduction to the native religions of Mexico and Central America from one of the leading scholars in the field. In this first introductory text to cover thoroughly the Mesoamerican religious traditions, David Carrasco provides an overview of the history of Mesoamerican cultures and describes their religious forms, structures, myths, and prevailing "cosmovision"--the Mesoamerican view of time and space and its ritualized representation and enactment.Carrassco details the dynamic of two important, representative cultures--the Aztec and the Maya--and discusses the impact of the Spanish conquest and the continuity of native traditions into the post-Columbian and contemporary eras. Integrating recent archaeological discoveries in Mexico City, he brings about a comprehensive understanding of ritual human sacrifice, a subject often ignored in religious studies.

Genres: Religion, History, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Mythology, Archaeology, Reference

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 1990

About the author

Davíd L. Carrasco is currently Neil L. Rudenstine Professor of Latin America Studies at Harvard. He is a Mexican-American academic historian of religion, anthropologist, and a Mesoamericanist scholar who has published widely on the Aztecs.

Reviews

[Sourdough Bread · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

Really great introduction into Mesoamerican religion. As someone who forgot a lot from my Native American class this was beyond a nice refresher. While this is limited since it only 200 pages, this book offers the basic history and explanations of Mesoamerican religion, mainly Aztec and Maya. As someone who is new to learning this subject, this really helped informed me on the subject. Also very nice pictures used.

[hh · Rating 4 out of 5]

a short but thorough overview of aztec and maya cosmovision that picks up major themes, histories, myths, and practices and weaves together strands that could seem unintelligible to anyone unfamiliar with religions of the indigenous americas. carrasco is a great synthesizer and a sure-footed guide.

[Daisy Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

for this to be a required reading, it was actually good

[Javier Girona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by David Carrasco is an interesting analysis of the cosmo-magical world of Mesoamerican cultures, searching for the origins of the Mesoamerican divine and cosmological world, the philosophy of the peoples of the area and its influence in their society, culture and political views.

For anyone interested in the understanding of human sacrifices, the philosophical and mental understanding and application of these practices, this book might be a good reference book, which explains the reasons for these odd practices, at least for contemporary western societies. Once we get to understand why the Mayas, Aztecs or other local cultures practiced blood letting activities, or why human blood and hearts were so important for the continuance of life on earth, we are able to comprehend a bit more these peoples minds.

Of especial interest are of course their achievements in architecture, literature, sculpture, the understanding of the universe, the cycles and movements of the moon, the sun or Venus, just to give but few examples, and their calendrical achievements, which matched contemporary and scientific observations, posing great admiration towards one of the first seven ancient civilisations around the world that achieved urbanisation. Just to give an example we find Teotihuacan, a city that around the year 200 AD had a population that reached 200.000 citizens, at the level of Ancient Rome. The planing and architectural achievements of this town can be observed when you visit it. It is extraordinary the alignment of the city with the stars and the understanding that this society had of the cycles of the Pleiades, the Sun yearly cycle, or the moon yearly cycle, connecting them to agriculture and to their divine world. As many other ancient urban societies, their towns' planning and structure were based on their mythological and divine world, which was at the same time their interpretation of the cosmos above them. The city was basically a recreation of the cosmos, a microcosmos which was a copy of the macrocosmos above them, and the stars and other phenomenons happening were interpreted as divinities which had control over the destiny of their communities.

If you wish to listen about this book, or to read about other articles related to Mesoamerican or other mythological and anthropological studies, visit my website on panacas.com.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 2 out of 5]

One thing is clear: by book's end you will be right royally sick of the word (or "word") "cosmovision."

[Justinian]

2016-07 – Religions of Mesoamerica: Cosmovision and Ceremonial Centers. David Carrasco. (Author) 1998. 174 Pages.

I am about four years into a self-study of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican religions and society. It has been slow and self-directed (which presents its own problems). This book is considered a foundational text in many university programs that deals with Mesoamerica. The author does an excellent job of introducing and explaining concepts that differ so greatly from a Western-European/Judeo-Christian background that jumping that chasm can make understanding hard. Sometimes it is a question of language other times of shaking off a world view. This book is an excellent introduction without the vagueness and mumbo-jumbo that usually permeates these topics. We are talking about a world view that is radically at odds with the current dominant notions, but a worldview still with us in the margins of society, and a worldview that is authentically American and adapted to this land … it has great value and lessons to teach. Highly recommended as a starting point. Unlike most “religious” texts he is not trying to persuade you, evangelize the reader, merely lay it out.

[Juan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick overview of the dominant Mesoamerican religions.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview.