Ancient Borderlands Research Focus Group

Next Meeting of
Core Graduate Seminar

Wednesday, 14 May, 12:00 pm
IHC Seminar Room, HSSB 6056

Molly Bassett: Modern Náhuatl and Aztec Teteo:
A Search for Autochthonous Methods of Aztec Deity Identification & Classification
Molly Bassett, C. Phil., Department of Religious Studies, UCSB

Molly Bassett studies Aztec deities, their identification and classification, and the most recent stage of her dissertation research focuses on ethnolinguistic contexts that explore the concepts teteo teotl, sing.; deities) and teixiptlahuan (teixiptla, sing.; representatives, impersonators). Her presentation will review modern scholars' methods of Aztec deity identification and classification, overview key contexts that model autochthonous means of teteo veneration, and conclude by previewing potential teteo classifications that draw on conversations with modern Náhuatl speakers and insights from comparative studies of religions.