Mexico-Tenochtitlan: Dynamism at the Center of the World is a scholarly volume based on papers presented at the 2022 Dumbarton Oaks Pre-Columbian Studies symposium, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlan. Edited by renowned experts Barbara E. Mundy, Leonardo López Luján, and Elizabeth Hill Boone, the book explores the meteoric rise of Tenochtitlan, which, from the fourteenth century, became the political, economic, and spiritual center of the Mexica (Aztec) world. Even after the Spanish conquest and the city’s transformation into Mexico City, Tenochtitlan remained a dynamic urban center.

The thirteen chapters of the volume highlight recent archaeological and archival discoveries, including excavations of offerings, burials, and skull racks, which are interpreted as the physical remnants of ritual performances (Ximena Chávez Balderas). The book also examines sculptures, manuscripts, ritual objects, and luxury items to understand artistic production and imperial ideologies (Allison Caplan; Adrián Velázquez Castro; Laura Filloy Nadal and María Olvido Moreno Guzmán). By juxtaposing continuities and changes—especially in the Indigenous sphere—the contributors reveal how pre-Hispanic phenomena persisted through the sixteenth century and beyond (Enrique Rodríguez-Alegría).

The volume brings together archaeologists, art historians, and conservators to reassess Tenochtitlan’s rapid consolidation and enduring status as an imperial capital. It covers topics such as the state of archaeological research at the Templo Mayor (Michelle De Anda Rogel, Saburo Sugiyama, and Leonardo López Luján; Elizabeth Hill Boone); the significance of the skull rack, known as the Huei Tzompantli (Lorena Vázquez Vallin and Raúl Barrera Rodríguez); the role of violence and sacrifice; the production of luxury objects; the performance of maps (Barbara E. Mundy); and the reuse of sculptural objects after the Spanish conquest (Sara Ryu). The book also draws a comparative perspective by linking Tenochtitlan with other imperial centers, such as Constantinople (Robert G. Ousterhout). This approach is particularly promising for placing meticulous, detailed studies in a larger global context.

While the book excels in analyzing archaeological finds, ritual objects, and material culture, some critics might argue that it pays less attention to broader social, ecological, or everyday aspects of life in Tenochtitlan, or to the long-term consequences of Spanish colonialism. Overall, however, the volume offers a comprehensive and up-to-date view of Tenochtitlan’s centrality in Mesoamerican history, emphasizing the city’s ongoing dynamism and the interplay between material culture, ritual, and political power.