The History of the Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Díaz del Castillo. DAVID CARRASCO (ed.): Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2008.

Abstract

In one of the six essays accompanyingthis re-edition of Bernal Díaz del Castillo's famous "diary" of theSpanish Conquest of New Spain, which is devoted to the theme of humansacrifice, David Carrasco concludes:The purpose of this essay is not tojustify Aztec ritual killing or condemn the Spaniards for their violence orlack of understanding. Rather, by beginning with Díaz del Castillo's point ofview as an outsider and harsh critic of Aztec rituals, we move to indigenouswords, practices, and perspectives to see through the Spanish account into somedimensions of what the Aztecs and Maya believed they were doing. (465)