BOOK OF THE ANCIENT GODS AND RITES AND THE ANCIENT CALENDAR
Book Details + Condition: University of Oklahoma Press (Norman, OK). First Edition, 1971. Hardcover with dust jacket. 470 pages with Glossary and Index. Illustrated with b&w plates. Translated by Fernando Horcasitas and Doris Heyden. The book is one of the most highly used English translations of Fray Diego Duran's work documenting the Aztec religion and culture, written during the height of the Aztec Empire in Mexico. From Wikipedia: "Frey Diego Durán (1537 – 1588) was a Dominican friar best known for his authorship of one of the earliest Western books on the history and culture of the Aztecs. Durán wrote 'Book of the Gods and Rites and Ancient Calendar' which documented Aztec religion and culture. He was fluent in Nahuatl, the Aztec language, and was therefore able to consult natives and Aztec codices as well as work done by earlier friars. His empathetic nature allowed him to gain the confidence of many native people who would not share their stories with Europeans, and was able to document many previously unknown folktales and legends that make his work unique."
From the massive occult collection of King Lawrence Parker - academic, dissertation author, and book collector extraordinaire. In very good condition, with firm binding; Parker's bookplate to inside front board; interior is clean and free of markings. Dust jacket shows light aging and wear, and retains its original price.
