Architecture and Power in the Ancient Andes: The Archaeology of Public Buildings

In this 1996 volume, Jerry D. Moore discusses public architecture in the context of the cultural, political and religious life of the pre-hispanic Andes. Archaeologists have invested enormous effort in excavating and documenting prehistoric buildings, but analytical approaches to architecture remain as yet undeveloped. Architecture and Power in the Ancient Andes uses analytical methods to approach architecture and its relationship to Andean society, exploring three themes in particular: the architecture of monuments, the architecture of ritual, and the architecture of social control. It provides both a methodology for the study of public architecture and an example of how that methodology can be applied. Jerry D. Moore's clear and richly illustrated discussion represents an original perspective on architecture and its role in ritual, ideology, and power in the ancient world.