In Ancient People of the Andes**, Michael A. Malpass describes the prehistory of western South America from initial colonization to the Spanish Conquest**. All the major cultures of this region, from the Moche to the Inkas, receive thoughtful treatment, from their emergence to their demise or evolution. No South American culture that lived prior to the arrival of Europeans developed a writing system, making archaeology the only way we know about m...

Explore daily living inside the Inca empire, the largest empire in the western hemisphere before European colonization. The Incas' subjugation of all types of cultures in western South America led to a wide variety of experiences, from military leaders to ruling class to conquered peoples. Readers will uncover all aspects of Inca culture, including politics and social hierarchy, the life cycle, agriculture, architecture, women's roles, dress and ornamentation, food and drink, festivals, re...

In the tumultuous annals of European history, the Thirty Years War stands as a cataclysmic conflict that reshaped the continent. Friedrich Schiller's monumental work, "History of the Thirty Years War, Volume 5," delves into the intricate tapestry of this epic struggle, offering a gripping narrative that illuminates the political machinations, military campaigns, and human suffering that defined this era. From the rise of Gustavus Adolphus to the Peace of Westphalia, Schiller's masterful pr...

Law enforcement has been increasingly under fire in the media for what we believe is unnecessary police violence. But few have suggestions as to what we can do about it.There is a noticeable gap between the way officers are trained and how the brain processes information in the stressful and risky situations which police work. Training arguably no longer prepares our officers for how to effectively deal with these situations.But with advancements in neuroscience, we could f...

Have you ever wondered why it is so easy to watch a sport on television and comment on how easy a play should have been or how you could have made that play, hit that ball, beaten that professional fighter or caught that pass? It turns out that different regions of the brain are involved in thinking about doing something and actually doing it and these regions have associations with the biases that develop subconsciously in the brain. The same biases that drive us to wax philosophical on a...

Legacies of Space and Intangible Heritage is an interdisciplinary exploration of the intersections between the study and management of physical sites and the reproduction of intangible cultural legacies. The volume provides nine case studies that explore different ways in which place is mediated by social, political, and ecological processes that have deep historical roots and that continue to affect the politics of heritage management.Spaces of human habitation are both h...

A Prehistory of South America is an overview of the ancient and historic native cultures of the entire continent of South America based on the most recent archaeological investigations. This accessible, clearly written text is designed to engage undergraduate and beginning graduate students in anthropology.For more than 12,000 years, South American cultures ranged from mobile hunters and gatherers to rulers and residents of colossal cities. In the process, native South Ame...

In their heyday the Inca ruled over the largest land empire in the Americas, reaching the pinnacle of South American civilization. Known as the ‘Romans of the Americas’, these fabulous engineers converted the vertiginous, challenging landscapes of the Andes into a fertile region able to feed millions, alongside building royal estates such as Machu Picchu and a 40,000-kilometre road network crisscrossed by elegant braided-rope suspension bridges.Beautifully illustrated, this book exa...

The Oxford Handbook of the Aztecs, the first of its kind, provides a current overview of recent research on the Aztec empire, the best documented prehispanic society in the Americas. Chapters span from the establishment of Aztec city-states to the encounter with the Spanish empire and the Colonial period that shaped the modern world. Articles in the Handbook take up new research trends and methodologies and current debates. The Handbook articles are divided into seven parts. Part ...

From the Mayan calendar to the Toltec architecture at Chichén Itzá, the bequests of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations have endured long after the societies that created them declined. The intellectual and cultural achievements of Pre-Columbian America rivaled those of ancient Rome and Egypt, and greatly enriched the landscape of present-day Mexico and Central America. The traditions, social organizations, languages, and ideas that shaped each of these cultures are examined in this fascina...

This compelling collection of essays explores the Qhapaq nan (or Great Inca Road), an extensive network of trails reaching modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. These roads and the accompanying agricultural terraces and structures that have survived for more than six centuries are a testament to the advanced engineering and construction skills of the Inca people. The Qhapaq nan also spurred an important process of ecological and community inte...

The Mixtec peoples were among the major original developers of Mesoamerican civilization. Centuries before the Spanish Conquest, they formed literate urban states and maintained a uniquely innovative technology and a flourishing economy. Today, thousands of Mixtecs still live in Oaxaca, in present-day southern Mexico, and thousands more have migrated to locations throughout Mexico, the United States, and Canada. In this comprehensive survey, Ronald Spores and Andrew K. Balkansky—both preem...