{"product_id":"the-flowery-death-katarzyna-szoblik-9781646428373","title":"The Flowery Death: The Image of Death in the Nahua Songs of Cantares Mexicanos","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Flowery Death\u003c\/i\u003e is a groundbreaking exploration of \u003ci\u003exochimiquiztli\u003c\/i\u003e, or \"flowery death,\" a central concept in the pre-Hispanic Nahua worldview. In the highly militarized societies of the Valley of Mexico, dying in honor of the gods--on the battlefield, in ritual sacrifice, or in childbirth--was not only a social expectation but also a path to spiritual glory. While this idea appears throughout colonial sources, previous studies have relied largely on the writings of Bernardino de Sahagún and other European chroniclers, whose perspectives often simplify or distort Indigenous understandings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on the rich oral tradition preserved in the sixteenth-century manuscript \u003ci\u003eCantares Mexicanos\u003c\/i\u003e, this book provides one of the first English translations of these songs since John Bierhorst's 1985 translation. It combines paleographic fidelity, literal English translation, and detailed interpretation, revealing the metaphor- and symbol-rich meanings behind the songs. The book is divided into two interrelated parts: The first reconstructs the Nahua worldview, contextualizing war, death, and sacrifice through myths, chronicles, and visual sources; the second presents selected songs, offering readers the tools to understand their metaphors, historical references, and symbolic language, making the work both a scholarly reference and an accessible guide for students and enthusiasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy examining the cultural, religious, and social significance of \u003ci\u003exochimiquiztli\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Flowery Death\u003c\/i\u003e provides fresh insights into Nahua ideology, gender roles, and collective memory. It is essential reading for anyone interested in Mesoamerican culture, early colonial history, and the power of Indigenous oral traditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Katarzyna Szoblik\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1646428374\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781646428373\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University Press of Colorado\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 384\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.00lbs","brand":"Katarzyna Szoblik","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48460363137279,"sku":"9781646428373","price":67.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_102d8ddf-36de-4dee-a05a-d73c205950f2.jpg?v=1777414254","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-flowery-death-katarzyna-szoblik-9781646428373","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}