The Inca World [Hardcover]

Laura Laurencich Minelli (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2000

The development of the Inca Empire was complex and often paradoxical. This lavishly illustrated volume, based on extensive archaeological research and Spanish colonial documentation, provides important insights into many questions and contradictions regarding the Inca Empire.

The Inca World carefully examines the social, economic, political, and religious systems that characterized the Inca Empire from its earliest times. The book begins by examining the pre-Inca Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1000-1450), including a geographic and cultural overview of historic Peru and Inca textiles, architecture, and ceramics. The second half covers the Inca Horizon (A.D. 1450 - 1543), the era of imperial expansion, explaining how Incas achieved social and cultural unity while allowing various ethnic groups to maintain their own identity.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 230 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (March 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806132213
• ISBN-13: 978-0806132211
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,137,012 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful edition on Inca and Late Intermediate Period of Peru, October 21, 2007

By 

Dave Essery (Upper Hutt, Wellington New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inca World (Hardcover)

This book is a collection of essays by various authors regarding the late intermediate period of Peru (Chincha, Chimu, Sican etc) and the late horizon - the Inca. As is always the case in a collection of this type some authors are more readible than others, but on the whole this is a good collection of material. Of particular interest I found the chapter on 'The late prehispanic coastal states' - you don't tend to find alot of information on the Chimu etc at this level, and this serves as a useful introduction.

The standout chapters for me however are (firstly) Jean-Pierre Protzen's on 'Inca architecture' and Maria Rostworowki on Inca history, economics and religion. Both authors are well versed in their subjects and the information presented is both concise and (allowing for differences of opinion) accurate, as well as generally well illustrated in black and white. The main irritation for me is the inclusion of untranslated spanish and french quotations in Protzens chapter.

On the slightly negative side the chapter of Incan art was almost useless. The colour plates are of minor interest, I am sure a better selection could have been made. Laura Minelli (the editor) writes an interesting but short chapter on the quipu, in particular the infamous 'literary quipu'. For a more balanced work on this particular suject one should read 'Woven Words' by Sabine Hyland in Narrative Threads: Accounting and Recounting in Andean Khipu (Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Series in Latin American and Latino Art and Culture).
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone with a particular interest in the Inca, or late Intermediate period cultures of Peru and who is getting bored (or frustrated) of reading the same old stuff in more general books on the subject. There are some excellent chapters on some key topics as well as a lesser number of fizzers.

Regards, Dave Essery www.ancientdave.com