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Archaeologist and Incan expert Nigel Davies offers astonishing revelations about the remarkable empire of the Incas and the civilizations that preceded them. From the desert at Nazca to the great coastal civilization of Chimor, this compelling overview makes accessible the latest research on all the ancient kingdoms of Peru. 6 maps. 31 figures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

great
This book was needed for college.It was not in the bookstores.Amazon had a good price.

Informative but colorless history of Peru
Prior to a trip to Peru I also purchased this book to learn more about the varied ancient cultures that are in evidence at Nazca, Machu Picchu, Sipan and other sites throughout Peru.

The author discusses most of the early cultures of Peru but tends to dwell on the pottery designs with additional forays into the architecture and art but not much else.I tended to think that his expertise may have been in these areas but would have appreciated a wider perspective.Perhaps that is not possible from what is available in the archeological record.I found my interest lagging a bit as I forged through all the changes in pottery from one culture to the next.

Occasionallythere were more absorbing sections of the book when the author was able to supplement the pottery record with tales of grave robbers and for example the fascinating discovery of the Lord of Sipan tomb.The book became a far better read as he discussed the era of the Incas, and this section was quite engaging, it almost seemed to be written by another author.

I would have found the inclusion of more maps of the sites discussed in the book to be of great help in understanding the cultures, more pictures and illustrations also could benefit a future edition.

Readable, but lacks some material and contains questionable facts
Davies' book on the ancient 'kingdoms' of Peru covers several key pre-Spanish cultures and civilizations in the Andean highlands -- among them Chavin, Moche, Nazca, Tiahuanaco, Huari, Chimu, and Inca -- and highlights several important archaeological sites, citing both contemporary Spanish sources and more recent discoveries.He presents a decent overview of these peoples' buildings, monuments, mythologies, and artwork in readable prose.I particularly enjoyed his discussion of the Incans, which I thought was pithy but comprehensive.

However, I found the discussion of all but the Incans lacking in quite a few areas: agriculture (how did these people feed themselves, how advanced were their hunting/fishing techniques, domestication technologies, irrigation), mastery of materials (which cultures harnessed copper, which bronze, etc.), to name a few.Pre-Chavin cultures such as Norte Chico were omitted entirely.Moreover, he mentions a few facts which seem oddly incongruous with accepted anthropology, and are at best misleading.For instance:

(1)He describes the Incan capital of Cuzco as 'often conceived as a mountain lion', with one part of the city supposedly named for 'the lion's tail' in Quechua.Conceived by whom?I didn't know Panthera leo was indigenous to the Andes?Could the 'lion' have referred to another feline species?

(2)In his discussion of Incan commoners, he mentions their basic food as chuno, which was 'mixed with water, salt and pepper'.The modern notion of salt-and-pepper contains various species of Piper which grew exclusively in South India.It is more likely he meant Schinus molle, or Peruvian pepper, which was prepared differently.

(3)In his discussion of Incan bridges, he describes the 'sides of one bridge' as 'so carefully crafted that even if a horse fell on all fours, it could not tumble off'.This is misleading as there are no horse species indigenous to the Americas.

The Ancient Kingdoms of Peru
I have a emmence interest in the Lost Tribes and this book helped me in my studies.

The Ancient Kingdoms of Peru
A first-rate book for those traveling to Peru for the first time. Very factual and easy to read. A bit colorless, but it's a book full of information presented in a straight forward way. ... Read more

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Product Description
Offering an alternative narrative of the conquest of the Incas, Gonzalo Lamana both examines and shifts away from the colonial imprint that still permeates most accounts of the conquest. Lamana focuses on a key moment of transition: the years that bridged the first contact between Spanish conquistadores and Andean peoples in 1531 and the moment, around 1550, when a functioning colonial regime emerged. Using published accounts and array of archival sources, he focuses on questions of subalternization, meaning-making, copying, and exotization, which proved crucial to both the Spaniards and the Incas. On the one hand, he re-inserts different epistemologies into the conquest narrative, making central to the plot often-dismissed, discrepant stories such as books that were expected to talk, horses said to be capable of being angry and eating people, and attacks that were launched for an entire year only on the full moon. On the other hand, he questions dominant images of Inca-Spanish distinctiveness and shows that in the battlefield as much as in everyday arenas such as conversion, market exchanges, politics, and land tenure, the parties blurred into each other in repeated instances of mimicry.

The resulting landscape of plural attempts to define the order of things reveals that, contrary to the conquerors' accounts, what the Spanairds achieved was a "domination without dominance." This conclusion undermines common ideas of Spanish (and Western) superiority. It shows that casting order as a by-product of military action rests on a pervasive fallacy: the translation of military superiority into cultural superiority. In constant dialogue with critical thinking from different disciplines and traditions, Lamana illuminates how this new interpretation of the conquest of the Incas revises current understandings of Western colonialism and the emergence of still-current global configurations. ... Read more

Product Description
Alberto Fujimori ascended to the presidency of Peru in 1990, boldly promising to remake the country. Ten years later, he hastily sent his resignation from exile in Japan, leaving behind a trail of lies, deceit, and corruption. Prosecutors, judges, and congressional investigators assembled to piece together the story of Fujimori's presidency, and what they found was evidence of a vast criminal conspiracy fueled by political ambition and personal greed. In Fujimori's Peru, Catherine Conaghan tells the story of one of the most controversial presidencies in Latin American history.

At a time when democracy was sweeping the Western Hemisphere, and military coups d'état were no longer considered acceptable, the Fujimori regime managed to maintain a facade of democracy while systematically eviscerating democratic institutions and the rule of law. The rolling tanks and heavy-handed tactics of the traditional coup were replaced by legal subterfuge, intimidation, and outright bribery.

The architect of this strategy was Fujimori's notorious intelligence adviser, Vladimiro Montesinos, an attorney with longstanding connections to Peru's underworld, its secret service, and the CIA. Using the tools of deception, Fujimori and Montesinos managed to gain seemingly foolproof control over the political system while maintaining domestic and international support. With great skill, they created the appearance of a democratic public sphere but ensured it would not work properly. The independent press was allowed to operate, and public opinion was a constant obsession. But behind the scenes, Montesinos paid off everyone who mattered--legislators, judges, bureaucrats, businessmen, executives, and entertainers. The more government oficials tampered with what was supposed to be the free flow of ideas, however, the more they inadvertently exposed the ills they were trying to cover up. And that would prove to be their downfall.

Merging penetrating analysis with a journalist's flair for narrative, Conaghan exposes the complex relationship between democracy and dictatorship, and shows how public institutions can both empower dictators and bring them down. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

well written
this book read like one long newspaper account than a real academic read but i'm not complaining. it was fun and informative and provided a real glimpse into how the strings of democracy can be manipulated. only word of caution, the book stops short around 2005 if I remember correctly, and doesn't go into the aftermath at all.

Caois in the Country?
Well written; this book expressed the controversies behind government- political-economic bodies of Peru.It traced the life and intent of Fujimori, quitewell, leaving the reader with a sense of CSI-"in read"- reaction... to the demoralized efforts taken by government to secure a power/ centralized goal.(Of course, Fujimori is not currently in power, but that does not remove the intentional malice associated with his reign). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fascinating piece of South American history
When the Europeans arrived, every part of America was due for a major conflict of history. "Contested Territory: Mapping Peru in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century" delves into the colonial history of Peru as the Spanish conquistadors butt heads with the natives for control on the region and the lasting impression through history that these conflicts left. A fascinating piece of South American history, "Contested Territory" should have a spot in every world history collection.
... Read more

Product Description
Available in English for the first time, An Inca Account of the Conquest of Peru is a firsthand account of the Spanish invasion, narrated in 1570 by Diego de Castro Titu Cusi Yupanqui—the penultimate ruler of the Inca dynasty—to a Spanish missionary and transcribed by a mestizo secretary.

Titu Cusi tells of his father's maltreatment at the hands of the Spaniards; his father's ensuing military campaigns, withdrawal and murder; and his own succession as ruler. This vivid narrative illuminates the Incan view of the Spanish invaders and offers an important account of native peoples' resistance, accommodation, change, and survival in the face of the Spanish conquest. Ralph Bauer's outstanding translation, annotations, and introduction offer critical context and background for a full understanding of Titu Cusi's times and the significance of his words. Co-winner of the 2005 Colorado Endowment for the Humanities Publication Prize. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Great Primary Source
It's amazing that the Western Hemisphere has seen the destruction or near destruction of so many civilizations in so (relatively) short a time span, and yet so few people in the Americas know or even care to know what happened. This book is a great primary source account of what could only be described as the end of one era and the beginning of another for Indigenous South Americans. It includes a timeline of events, several historic [albeit not entirely accurate] maps and engravings from the time period, and most importantly, the words of an Indigenous account. Words and phrases specific to the original language are given additional clarification by the translator.

Ultimately, much remains unknown about the Inca. But what we will discover of them in the future relies entirely on what they left us 500 years ago, and what Spanish conquistadors, grave robbers, and time have left undamaged. We should consider this account and anything else that survives that gauntlet of destruction a treasure.

A great reference for personal or academic use. Glad it's available.

... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

peru: a short history. unfortunatly, short in the begining.
from the preface: "the early history of peru has been compressed to emphasize those developments that i believe are more important to an understanding of the contemporary era."372 pages of history from the begining of the 16th century to 1976.the 16th century got a few pages, the 17th got a bit more, the 18th and 19th centuries got more, and more than half the book is dedicated to 76 years of the twentieth century. the information given was interesting, its easy to read.there were some mistakes, in grammar and geography.( i usualy read a history book with a map of the country or area next to me, so its easy to follow the movements of forces and borders). unfortunatly i didnt read a review of this book before i bought it otherwise i might not have bought it.
i would only recommend buying it if you buy it on the cheap. ... Read more

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(BAR S545, 1989) ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: C. H. Sergel and company in 1892 in 622 pages; Subjects: Peru; Peru History; History / Latin America / General; History / Native American; History / Latin America / South America; History / Americas; ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: s.n. in 1921 in 120 pages; Subjects: Ecuador; Peru; History / General; History / Latin America / South America; History / Americas; Literary Collections / General; Travel / South America / General; ... Read more