Alfredo López Austin

Who is Alfredo López Austin?

Alfredo Federico López Austin is a Mexican historian of uncommon originality who wrote extensively on the Aztec worldview and on Mesoamerican religion. As an academic teacher, he has inspired generations of students, but his influence extends beyond the boundaries of academic life. His son is the renowned archaeologist, Leonardo López Luján.

López Austin first attended law school and worked as a lawyer in his hometown. His academic association with the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, where he was a student, spans some fifty years, and as of 2007 he still holds a position as a researcher at UNAM's Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas. López Austin lectures in the History department of UNAM's Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras.