The catalog presents the cultures of the peoples of the Americas , from the Arctic to the extreme South , through works and objects collected in the Vatican from the sixteenth century until today , telling traditions , artistic expressions and daily life . The four main sections illustrate cultural treasures of as many geographical areas . Alaska and North America to Mexico , Central America with pre-Columbian collection , South America , from the Caribbean to the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego . Finally, the " Indian Museum " Ferdinand Pettrich . The vast apparatus photo features archival photographs , full-page images of panoramic works and evocative of the places of origin .