At Home With the Aztecs ─ An Archaeologist Uncovers Their Daily Life

At Home with the Aztecs provides a new view of Aztec society, focusing on households and communities instead of kings, pyramids, and human sacrifice. This approach offers an opportunity to humanize the Aztecs, getting beyond the popular stereotype of sacrificial maniacs, and highlight the evidence that shows these were successful and prosperous communities. Michael Smith gives first-hand descriptions of the process of archaeological fieldwork and the ways archaeologists interpret sites and artifacts illuminating how the archaeological process can provide information about ancient families and communities. The results provide new definitions of success, prosperity, and resilience that can be applied to ancient societies making the book suitable not only for those interested in the Aztecs but in complex societies in general.

Michael E. Smith is one of the top international authorities on the Aztecs, and the leading U.S. archaeologist working at Aztec sites. He is currently a Professor of Anthropology in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University and has a high profile, in both traditional scholarly activities and in new media. He has written several articles for magazines, is currently editor of three blogs and he is a frequent lecturer in both academic and non-academic settings.