When the explorer Cortes arrived in the New World in 1519, he found the present-day nation of Mexico dominated by the Aztecs. Skilled farmers, builders and merchants, the Aztecs were also savage warriors who practiced human sacrifice on a massive scale fueled by the belief that blood nourished their gods and sustained the world. This is the definitive profile of one of the most fascinating civilizations of the Ancient World where beauty was balanced by savagery, and mysticism was soaked in blood. Leading scholars trace the rise of the Aztecs from their island in present-day Mexico City to the pre-eminent culture of ancient America, and reveal how mere months! Tour the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan in Mexico City, where ongoing excavations are unraveling some of the enduring enigmas of the Aztecs. Director Eduardo Matos Moctezuma provides a behind-the-scenes look at the seat of the ancient empire and reveals astonishing new discoveries. And see how the long-vanished civilization's influence is still felt in Mexico today.