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  • © 2002

Andean Archaeology I

Variations in Sociopolitical Organization

  • Focuses on material remains, since there was no written language, to reveal social structures of the Andean region

  • Interprets the processes and strategies by which the elites in theis prehistoric culture act as self-interested agents in stratifying themselves by studyin the material culture

  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
  2. Introduction

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Theorizing Variations in Andean Sociopolitical Organization

      • William H. Isbell, Helaine Silverman
      Pages 3-11
  3. Early Andean Civilizations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 13-13
    2. Out in the Streets of Moche

      • Claude Chapdelaine
      Pages 53-88
  4. Traditions of Imperialism in the Andes

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 159-159
    2. Tiwanaku Political Economy

      • Charles Stanish
      Pages 169-198
    3. Iwawi and Tiwanaku

      • William H. Isbell, JoEllen Burkholder
      Pages 199-241
    4. Imperial Interaction in the Andes

      • Patrick Ryan Williams, Donna J. Nash
      Pages 243-265
    5. The Huaro Archaeological Site Complex

      • Mary Glowacki
      Pages 267-285
    6. The Archaeology of Inca Origins

      • Gordon F. McEwan, Melissa Chatfield, Arminda Gibaja
      Pages 287-301
    7. Catequil

      • John R. Topic, Theresa Lange Topic, Alfredo Melly Cava
      Pages 303-336
  5. Solving Puzzles of the Past

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 337-337
    2. Tracking the Source of Quispisisa Type Obsidian from Huancavelica to Ayacucho

      • Richard L. Burger, Michael D. Glascock
      Pages 341-368
  6. Conclusion

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 369-369
    2. Writing the Andes with a Capital ‘A’

      • William H. Isbell, Helaine Silverman
      Pages 371-380
  7. Back Matter

    Pages 381-390

About this book

Study of the origin and development of civilization is of unequaled importance for understanding the cultural processes that create human societies. Is cultural evolution directional and regular across human societies and history, or is it opportunistic and capricious? Do apparent regularities come from the way inves­ tigators construct and manage knowledge, or are they the result of real constraints on and variations in the actual processes? Can such questions even be answered? We believe so, but not easily. By comparing evolutionary sequences from different world civilizations scholars can judge degrees of similarity and difference and then attempt explanation. Of course, we must be careful to assess the influence that societies of the ancient world had on one another (the issue of pristine versus non-pristine cultural devel­ opment: see discussion in Fried 1967; Price 1978). The Central Andes were the locus of the only societies to achieve pristine civilization in the southern hemi­ sphere and only in the Central Andes did non-literate (non-written language) civ­ ilization develop. It seems clear that Central Andean civilization was independent on any graph of archaic culture change. Scholars have often expressed appreciation of the research opportunities offered by the Central Andes as a testing ground for the study of cultural evolu­ tion (see, e. g. , Carneiro 1970; Ford and Willey 1949: 5; Kosok 1965: 1-14; Lanning 1967: 2-5).

Reviews

From the Reviews:
"[...]these volumes stand as an excellent overview of current Andean archaeological research, outside the confines of a particular school or perspective. This is, to my knowledge, the first English-language edited overview of Andean archaeology to be produced in at least 10 years. Both volumes should be on the shelves of all Andean prehistorians and university libraries, and could also provide an introduction to current Andean research for archaeologists working in other places. For those who teach an undergraduate course on the prehistory of the Andes either or both books would provide an excellent, and conveniently packaged, selection of in-depth materials that could accompany a more general text. Those with a general interest in the prehistory of the Andes will find much detail in Silverman and Isbell's volumes. The authors are to be congratulated on such a wide-ranging collection, and here is hoping that their wish to add further volumes to the series is realized in the near future." (Ross W. Jamieson, Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies)

Editors and Affiliations

  • State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, USA

    William H. Isbell

  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, USA

    Helaine Silverman

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Andean Archaeology I

  • Book Subtitle: Variations in Sociopolitical Organization

  • Editors: William H. Isbell, Helaine Silverman

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0639-3

  • Publisher: Springer New York, NY

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, New York 2002

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-306-46772-1Published: 30 June 2002

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4613-5171-9Published: 25 September 2012

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-4615-0639-3Published: 06 December 2012

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIV, 390

  • Topics: Archaeology, Anthropology, History, general

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access