Alfredo Federico López Austin (March 12, 1936 – October 15, 2021)[1][2] was a Mexican
historian who wrote extensively on the
Aztec worldview and on
Mesoamerican religion. As an academic teacher, he inspired generations of students, but his influence extends beyond the boundaries of academic life. His sons are Alfredo Xallápil López Luján, well known biologist and informatic and the renowned archaeologist,
Leonardo Náuhmitl López Luján.
López Austin was born in
Ciudad Juárez, México. He attended law school and worked as a lawyer in his hometown. His academic association with the
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM, Mexico's autonomous national university), where he was a student, spans some fifty years, and as of 2007[update] he still held a position as a researcher (
emeritus) at UNAM's
Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas (IIA, or Institute of Anthropological Research). López Austin lectured in the History department of UNAM's
Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras (FFyL).
Sánchez, Verenise (May 25, 2006).
"Feliz en el agua que nado". AUNAM Digital (in Spanish). Agencia Universitaria de Noticias,
UNAM. Archived from
the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2008-08-25.