In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl: Zelia Nuttall and the Search for Mexico's Ancient Civilizations

Zelia Nuttall was a pioneering anthropologist who studied Aztec customs and cosmology, decoded the Aztec calendar stone, and found pre-Columbian texts lost in European archives. She was the first person to accurately decode the Aztec calendar stone and was skilled at making sense of their pictographic histories. Her work on the terra-cotta heads of Teotihuacán captured the attention of Frederic Putnam, who offered her a job at Harvards Peabody Museum. Nuttall chose to follow her own star, publishing her discoveries and collecting artifacts for US museums, but she became an artifact in her own museum due to the newly professionalized generation overshadowing her achievements.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 07 November 2023
Publisher: Harvard University Press

Zelia Nuttall, a remarkable woman, led an extraordinary life that has largely been forgotten in the annals of history. She possessed an exceptional intelligence, unwavering determination, and the courage to navigate a world dominated by men as a divorced single mother. Nuttall was a distinguished scholar, known for her profound insights and innovative thinking. However, her remarkable achievements have been overshadowed by time, and she remains largely unknown to the broader public.

In a remarkable act of research, Merilee Grindle has delved deep into the archives to uncover the captivating story of Zelia Nuttall. Grindle's biography brings Nuttall to life, revealing her fascinating contradictions and showcasing her remarkable accomplishments. This biography challenges our modern smugness and reminds us that our roots as scholars are more complex than we often acknowledge.

Zelia Nuttall's life took an intriguing turn during the nineteenth century, when a generation of archaeologists began to explore beyond the confines of the Bible for the origins of different cultures and civilizations. Born during the San Francisco Gold Rush, Nuttall's mother hailed from Mexico City, instilling in her a deep fascination with the customs and cosmology of the Aztecs. Driven by a desire to prove that modern Mexico was built upon the ruins of ancient civilizations, Nuttall threw herself into the study of Aztec customs and cosmology.

Proud, disciplined, and as prickly as she was independent, Zelia Nuttall was the first person to accurately decode the Aztec calendar stone. An intrepid researcher, she possessed a remarkable ability to uncover pre-Columbian texts lost in European archives. Nuttall was skilled at deciphering their pictographic histories, providing valuable insights into the ancient world. Her work on the terra-cotta heads of Teotihuacán, a pre-Columbian city in Mexico, garnered the attention of Frederic Putnam, a renowned archaeologist. Putnam recognized Nuttall's talent and offered her a job at the Peabody Museum in Harvard, where she continued to make groundbreaking discoveries.

Zelia Nuttall's life was a testament to her unwavering determination and intellectual prowess. She defied societal expectations and pursued her passions with unwavering dedication. Her contributions to the field of anthropology have left an indelible mark, and her story deserves to be celebrated and remembered. Through Merilee Grindle's meticulous research, we have the opportunity to rediscover the remarkable life of Zelia Nuttall and appreciate her profound impact on the world of scholarship.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674278332