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Mass murder or religious homicide? Rethinking human sacrifice and interpersonal violence in Aztec society
Massenmord oder religiöse Tötung? Menschenopfer und interpersonale Gewalt in Aztekischer Gesellschaft überdenken
[journal article]
Abstract "The Aztec practice of human sacrifice is one of the most sensationalized and bloody cases of mass killing in history, raising essential questions about cultural definitions, personal perceptions and the interrelationship of different forms of violence. Produced as part of a project on the long-term... view more
"The Aztec practice of human sacrifice is one of the most sensationalized and bloody cases of mass killing in history, raising essential questions about cultural definitions, personal perceptions and the interrelationship of different forms of violence. Produced as part of a project on the long-term history of interpersonal and mass violence in Latin America, this article assesses the available sources for human sacrifice rates in pre-colonial Tenochtitlan, and lays the groundwork for a comparative analysis of homicide rates, by estimating the number of victims of human sacrifice. Offering an analysis which addresses key themes and structures in the history of violence, this study attempting to reconcile the frequency of 'official' violence with the apparent unacceptability of interpersonal aggression, and interrogates the sensationalism and cultural sensitivities which have often hindered impartial and empathetic studier of the human sacrifice in Aztec society." (author's abstract)... view less
Keywords
Latin America; mass murder; American Indian; indigenous peoples; homicide; violence; Mexico; religion; ritual; science of history; comparative research; sixteenth century; Elias, N.; civilization; Spain; colonialism; Europe; cultural factors; Central America; developing country
Classification
General History
Cultural Sociology, Sociology of Art, Sociology of Literature
Sociology of Religion
Method
historical
Document language
English
Publication Year
2012
Page/Pages
p. 276-302
Journal
Historical Social Research, 37 (2012) 3
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.37.2012.3.276-302
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed