In a world of sensationalist headlines the Aztec would appear to be the ultimate players. But what do we really know and how do we reconcile contradictory trends and traditions? The archaeological record has provided compelling evidence for human sacrifice and brutal warfare in the interests of conquest and expansion. By the same token, magnificent city-states with pyramids, monumental architecture, and complex trading networks bespeak infrastructures that may be the precursors of contemporary administrative structures. But despite their unchallenged dominance in the region, they fell under th
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