Guardians of the Life Stream: Shamans, Art and Power in Prehispanic Central Panama

by Armand J. Labbe

Book by Labbe, Armand J.

168 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1995

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far as I know, this is the only substantial book of color photographs of Cocle' and related Panamanian pottery. Be aware that the quality of the color printing is just fair, and I'm dubious about the elaborate "reconstruction" of a shamanic religion of a prehistoric culture. Labbe presents a good variety of the fabulous and colorful Cocle' pots and related artifacts, far more than you are likely to see in any museum or gallery. And he has a nice outline of the regional archaeology, with an extensive list of references. So it's pretty much of a must-have for fans of prehistoric pottery.

The other substantial compilation of Cocle' pottery is the Dover reprint, Pre-Columbian Designs from Panama (Dover Pictorial Archives). Note these are black and white illustrations. Still, you need both if you are seriously interested in the topic.