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War, Spectacle, and Politics in the Ancient Andes

Elizabeth N Arkush author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:31st Mar '22

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War, Spectacle, and Politics in the Ancient Andes cover

This book examines the varied faces of war, politics, and violent spectacle over thousands of years in the pre-Columbian Andes.

Drawing on the rich archaeological record of fortifications, skeletal injury, and artwork, this book traces changing configurations of power and violence through time, leading up to the Incas, the last great Andean empire.Warfare in the pre-Columbian Andes took on many forms, from inter-village raids to campaigns of conquest. Andean societies also created spectacular performances and artwork alluding to war – acts of symbolism that worked as political rhetoric while drawing on ancient beliefs about supernatural beings, warriors, and the dead. In this book, Elizabeth Arkush disentangles Andean warfare from Andean war-related spectacle and offers insights into how both evolved over time. Synthesizing the rich archaeological record of fortifications, skeletal injury, and material evidence, she presents fresh visions of war and politics among the Moche, Chimú, Inca, and pre-Inca societies of the conflict-ridden Andean highlands. The changing configurations of Andean power and violence serve as case studies to illustrate a sophisticated general model of the different forms of warfare in pre-modern societies. Arkush's book makes the complex pre-history of Andean warfare accessible by providing a birds-eye view of its major patterns and contrasts.

'… a scholarly, incredibly detailed analysis … Essential.' C. C. Kolb, Choice
'This book is one of the most valuable contributions to the study of war in antiquity in recent years … not only a scholarly contribution to Andean warfare but also an insightful contribution to understanding human society throughout history.' Hugo C. Ikehara-Tsukayama, Journal of Latin American Studies

ISBN: 9781316510964

Dimensions: 262mm x 184mm x 22mm

Weight: 734g

350 pages