The Ancient Americas: Art from Sacred Landscapes

by Richard F. Townsend

An excursion into the imagination and intellect of Amerindian civilization. This lavishly illustrated catalog explores the common thread in 14 cultures. Includes essays by 26 scholars in the field.

Genres: Art, History

1000 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Richard Fraser Townsend, a noted expert on pre-Columbian culture, received his Ph.D. from Harvard University for his work on the art of Tenochtitlan. He is now Curator of the Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at The Art Institute of Chicago. He has conducted extensive field research at Aztec sites and is the editor of the major exhibition catalogs, The Ancient Americas: Art from Sacred Landscapes and Ancient West Mexico.

Reviews

[Lesley-gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will forever stand in my memory. It was well organized and was loaded with incredible images. I especially appreciated the detailed timelines that marked out the historic eras of pre-columbian societys. Townsend's essay considering ancient people's connection with the earth was not condesending or romantic, yet provided valuable insight into the use and importance of the art and architecture produced by these complex cultures.