Cotsen Institute of Archaeology

This book is the first in more than a decade to provide new information on the Chavín phenomenon of ancient Peru. Thought by some to be the "Mother Culture" of ancient Peruvian cultures, Chavín is remarkable for its baroque, sophisticated art style in a variety of media, including finely carved stone monuments, beautifully formed pottery, and magnificent and complex metallurgy. 

The textiles from Chavín, both iconographically and structurally innovative, form the foundation for the later Andean textile evolution. Chapters in this book cover new interpretations of the history of the site of Chavín de Huantar, studies of related cultures, the role of shamanism, and many other topics of interest to both specialists and the general reader.