Customer Reviews

Valley of the Spirits: A Journey Into the Lost Realm of the Aymara

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I really enjoyed this book and have since read further volumes on South American Indian cultures because of it. Written by the primary researcher at Tiahuanaco, Alan Kolata, the text covers the origin of the earliest pre-Inca highland civilization, the Ayamara. So impressive was the legacy of this people to their successors that the Inca themselves sought to legitimize their claim to empire by seeking to place their roots at this site. I found Kolata's successful test of his economic hypothesis regarding population density and farming methods (by the reintroduction of raised bed and canal farming at altitude) especially profound. It certainly made abundantly apparent the pertinance of modern day archaeology, not only to the preservation of the world's ancient inheritance but to the material well being of modern populations as well. This book is a good place to start for anyone with an interest in ancient South American cultures and to applied archaeology.

I think this is my favorite book I've read about South America before and after a trip there. The author introduces us to the people who live there and are his friends. We get to see how Tiawanaku looked when it was in use and learn about customs and traditions which live today. The project to re-introduce ancient agricultural practices of raised beds and irrigation, was exciting. We were kept on the edge of our seat waiting to see if a freeze killed the crop and put the population in jeopardy. A real armchair trip to Bolivia!

If you can't go to Bolivia, this is the next best thing. The archeological information about Tiawanaku is fascinating. The cultural information regarding the Aymara is great too. But, my favorite part was the project to reintroduce abandoned agricultural practices to the area. Much larger populations were supported in ancient times due to the micromanagement of climate using irrigation and raised fields. And it was dramatically demonstrated that it works in this book! Good reading!

I'm an Egyptologist, but I like to read outside my own field. This excellent summary of years of work in the field was a real joy. It was exciting to read of a culture "done in" by a change in climate (we think this also happened in ancient Egypt!), and heartwarming to read of ancient irrigation technology revived to help people today. I feel this book is a must for anyone who cares about the past . . . and people today