This beautifully-illustrated book features some of the most magnificent works of art produced by the people that inhabited the present territory of Ecuador before the arrival of the Spaniards. Ecuador, the territory where an important part of pre-Columbian thought was formed, is a place of contact and cultural dissemination between societies from the southern part of the continent, Peruvians and from the north, Mesoamericans. Located in the middle of the world, it is influenced by natural phenomena such as the mix of the cold Humboldt ocean current with the warm El Nino current. At the same time, its territory is divided by the Andes, giving shape to a couple of impressive mountain ranges that drain into the Pacific humid forest, as well as into the Amazon jungle. Factors like these bring a huge richness to the ecosystem which pre-Columbian humans had to respond to, producing stunning cultural expressions.A picture of this mosaic of settlements, which fostered exchange in ceremonies and cult objects, is presented in this book which gives an overall view of a very rich civilising movement as illustrated through a selection of emblematic objects made of pottery, metal and other materials.
This book is enriched by a collection of essays from the most distinguished experts in Ecuadorian archaeology.