In the last hard days of World War I, just two weeks before world powers agreed to an armistice, a doctor wrote a letter to a friend. The doctor was stationed at the US Army’s Camp Devens west of Boston, a base packed with 45,000 soldiers preparing to ship out for the battlefields of France. … Read more
In the center of Siena, Italy, a cathedral has stood for nearly 800 years. A black-and-white layer cake of heavy stone, fine-cut statuary, and rich mosaics, the imposing structure—now visited by more than a million tourists each year—would seem to be a permanent fixture of the city’s past, present, and future. Most people call it, … Read more
In addition to his military achievements, Moctezuma I is remembered for his focus on the cultural and religious development of Tenochtitlán. He promoted the construction and decoration of many temples and monuments, including the Templo Mayor, the most important ceremonial center of the Mexica civilization. “When the Mexica subdued these peoples, the figurines were already … Read more
The Aztecs didn’t depend time on an infinite scale, as we do, however in cyclical 52-year durations, and on the completion of every cycle, life and the world would start anew. To provoke the beginning of a brand new cycle the New Fireplace ceremony was held, an important Aztec ritual. Each 52 years the inhabitants … Read more