Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice

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Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice: Decolonizing a Concept

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice : Decolonizing a Concept. / Jacobsen, Casper.

In: Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, Vol. 36, No. 2, 2024, p. 132-167.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Jacobsen, C 2024, 'Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice: Decolonizing a Concept', Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 132-167. https://doi.org/10.1163/15700682-bja10116

APA

Jacobsen, C. (2024). Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice: Decolonizing a Concept. Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, 36(2), 132-167. https://doi.org/10.1163/15700682-bja10116

Vancouver

Jacobsen C. Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice: Decolonizing a Concept. Method & Theory in the Study of Religion. 2024;36(2):132-167. https://doi.org/10.1163/15700682-bja10116

Author

Jacobsen, Casper. / Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice : Decolonizing a Concept. In: Method & Theory in the Study of Religion. 2024 ; Vol. 36, No. 2. pp. 132-167.

Bibtex

@article{b3b2ce45a42d432da00f5dedfe6ba269,

title = "Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice: Decolonizing a Concept",

abstract = "Images and texts in Spanish colonial manuscripts tell us that the Aztecs sacrificed humans. Among these sources, none has received a more iconic documentary status than the Franciscan missionary Bernardino de Sahag{\'u}n{\textquoteright}s tlamictiliztli account. This combines graphic depiction with text in Spanish and the Aztec language Nahuatl. Although Sahag{\'u}n{\textquoteright}s account is compelling and persuasive, its seeming realism dissipates when the analytical focus turns from the final product to its production. Using a new source-critical narrative approach that privileges methodological reflection, I analyze two versions of Sahag{\'u}n{\textquoteright}s composition to examine how the account was elicited, editorialized, and produced. Astonishing inconsistencies stress how Sahag{\'u}n augmented a {\textquoteleft}sacrificial{\textquoteright} interpretation of Aztec violence, complicating both the testimonial value attributed to his work and an emic Aztec sense of {\textquoteleft}human sacrifice.{\textquoteright}",

keywords = "Faculty of Humanities, Aztecs, human sacrifice, history of religion, colonialism, Bernardino de Sahag{\'u}n, Nahuatl",

author = "Casper Jacobsen",

year = "2024",

doi = "10.1163/15700682-bja10116",

language = "English",

volume = "36",

pages = "132--167",

journal = "Method and Theory in the Study of Religion",

issn = "0943-3058",

publisher = "Brill",

number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Missionary Methodology and the Making of Aztec Human Sacrifice

T2 - Decolonizing a Concept

AU - Jacobsen, Casper

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Images and texts in Spanish colonial manuscripts tell us that the Aztecs sacrificed humans. Among these sources, none has received a more iconic documentary status than the Franciscan missionary Bernardino de Sahagún’s tlamictiliztli account. This combines graphic depiction with text in Spanish and the Aztec language Nahuatl. Although Sahagún’s account is compelling and persuasive, its seeming realism dissipates when the analytical focus turns from the final product to its production. Using a new source-critical narrative approach that privileges methodological reflection, I analyze two versions of Sahagún’s composition to examine how the account was elicited, editorialized, and produced. Astonishing inconsistencies stress how Sahagún augmented a ‘sacrificial’ interpretation of Aztec violence, complicating both the testimonial value attributed to his work and an emic Aztec sense of ‘human sacrifice.’

AB - Images and texts in Spanish colonial manuscripts tell us that the Aztecs sacrificed humans. Among these sources, none has received a more iconic documentary status than the Franciscan missionary Bernardino de Sahagún’s tlamictiliztli account. This combines graphic depiction with text in Spanish and the Aztec language Nahuatl. Although Sahagún’s account is compelling and persuasive, its seeming realism dissipates when the analytical focus turns from the final product to its production. Using a new source-critical narrative approach that privileges methodological reflection, I analyze two versions of Sahagún’s composition to examine how the account was elicited, editorialized, and produced. Astonishing inconsistencies stress how Sahagún augmented a ‘sacrificial’ interpretation of Aztec violence, complicating both the testimonial value attributed to his work and an emic Aztec sense of ‘human sacrifice.’

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Aztecs

KW - human sacrifice

KW - history of religion

KW - colonialism

KW - Bernardino de Sahagún

KW - Nahuatl

U2 - 10.1163/15700682-bja10116

DO - 10.1163/15700682-bja10116

M3 - Journal article

VL - 36

SP - 132

EP - 167

JO - Method and Theory in the Study of Religion

JF - Method and Theory in the Study of Religion

SN - 0943-3058

IS - 2

ER -

ID: 346789923