Editorial

See Paper Two, Aztec Kings and the Codex Durán

Welcome to the sixth edition of Arara, Winter 2003/04.

In this issue we have decided to give special attention to the subject of the Aztecs, and we are very pleased to be able to publish papers by experts well established in the field of Mesoamerican studies.

Between November 2002 and April 2003 the Royal Academy, London, held an exhibition entitled Aztecs, accompanied by an international symposium at the British Museum. This was the first academic congress in Britain to be dedicated only to the subject of the Aztecs. The four papers exclusively published in this issue each originally formed a part of this symposium.

For us it is a great pleasure to be a part of these two important events. The University of Essex is home to many experts in the field of pre-Columbian societies. Building on firm foundations set in the 1960s, Essex continues to be an excellent place for students interested in developing and expanding their knowledge of pre-Columbian America.

The influence of the Pre-Columbian period extends throughout the history of Latin American art and society - colonial, modern and contemporary. Within this ongoing process native social structures have not been reduced to mere remnants, but have continued to exist in parallel and dialogue with those of the Western world.

In our first paper, New Peoples, New Lands, John Elliott discusses the conquest and colonization of Mexico in the context of developments generated by Spain's first colonial experiments in the Caribbean. The 1473 Civil War between Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco (two cities that formed the capital of the Aztec Empire), is the focus of attention of Emily Umberger's paper. By analysing the representation of this war in the Codex Duran she argues that the narration of both the mythical prototype and the war itself can be said to have followed general symbolic patterns in Aztec thought that focused on the nature and fate of rulers.

Among the Mexican books written in local script (also known as tlacuilolli) on paper and animal skin, one stands out for the emphasis that it places upon the notion of political and intellectual continuity among the Aztecs. This, the Mexicanus Codex, is explored by Gordon Brotherston.

Patricia Anawalt's illustrated paper Out of the Past: Ancient Clothing in Contemporary Indian Villages displays how her fieldwork research in Sierra Norte de Puebla, central Mexico, has allowed her to analyse the continuity of traditions of weaving and wearing pre-Hispanic style garments.

Before preparing this issue for publication, the editors met with one of the curators of the Aztecs exhibition, Adrian Locke, for an informal interview. A transcript of our meeting provides some surprising background information on how the exhibition came about, how it was received by press and public, and some of the critical issues raised by the show.

Maria Clara Bernal, Cristiana Bertazoni Martins, and Isobel Whitelegg
Editors of Arara.