Updated

A 16th century document describing the Aztec society of ancient Mexico has gone digital with a new app that aims to spur research and discussion.

The Codex Mendoza is a 1542 illustrated report ordered by Spanish viceroy Antonio de Mendoza to send home to the king of Spain. It details sources of riches, Aztec expansion and territorial tributes, and chronicles daily life and social dynamics.

Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History presented the digital version on Thursday. It's available free on the Internet and through Apple's App Store as a 1.02-gigabyte app.

The virtual codex lets users mouse-over the drawings and old Spanish text for translations into either Spanish or English.

Institute official Ernesto Miranda says officials are in talks about digitizing other Mexican codices.