Heads of State

In a fascinating study, Arnold and Hastorf address a perduring problem in anthropological theory--the institutionalization of social inequality and the centralization of political and economic power. They innovatively explore this issue through a detailed analysis of the ritual procurement, exchange, and curation of heads in both prehistoric and contemporary Andean polities. This should appeal to scholars of Andean studies and serve as an important resource for students interested in the anthropology of warfare, violence, sacrifice, and political economy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. - E. R. Swenson, University of Toronto, CHOICE The basic content and premise of the book are interesting in that the authors attempt to synthesise multiple elements in order to create a diachronic model for the prolonged use of heads in the Andes. The ethnographic information is wonderfully in-depth and the inclusion of a multi-lingual glossary was a thoughtful addition for those unfamiliar with the languages in use in the area. -Leigh Stork, Archaeological Review from Cambridge "...The work has many merits. The discussion of heterarchy certainly complements recent scholarship on the Inca empire as a solar cult that implies less centralization than the chroniclers would have readers believe and room for negotiation between the central authorities and subordinate group leadership. Their argument as to the importance of heads in centripetal (an inward-looking model where vertical perpetuation of identities in kin-like systems with closed cycles of transmission between the ancestral dead and the living) versus centrifugal (an expansive system that rests on acquisition and appropriation of alien forces from outside the group) polities proved enlightening, especially when posing that the former antedated the latter. Thoughts on the leaders as group spokesmen and their sometimes direct association with the ancestors also support historical findings from the Spanish colonial era scholars will find the book a convenient and no doubt provocative source on heads as used for the purposes of the state. Read the complete review at: The work has many merits. The discussion of heterarchy certainly complements recent scholarship on the Inca empire as a solar cult that implies less centralization than the chroniclers would have readers believe and room for negotiation between the central authorities and subordinate group leadership. Their argument as to the importance of heads in centripetal (an inward-looking model where vertical perpetuation of identities in kin-like systems with closed cycles of transmission between the ancestral dead and the living) versus centrifugal (an expansive system that rests on acquisition and appropriation of alien forces from outside the group) polities proved enlightening, especially when posing that the former antedated the latter. Thoughts on the leaders as group spokesmen and their sometimes direct association with the ancestors also support historical findings from the Spanish colonial era scholars will find the book a convenient and no doubt provocative source on heads as used for the purposes of the state"... - Susan E. Ramirez, H-Net Reviews