Beyond El Dorado: Indigenous Ancestral Art from the Isthmo-Colombian Area

4 credits · Undergraduate

This upper-division course introduces the cultural productions of the Isthmo-Colombian Area (south of Mesoamerica, north of the Andes and Amazon, and parts of the Caribbean). Once framed in Western archaeology as the “Intermediate Area”—a passive recipient of influences from complex societies to the north and south—it is now recognized for its cultural diversity and historical significance. Students will examine societies that sustained themselves over time without extreme inequality, exploring the role of artistic practice in these socio-economic arrangements and its relevance for imagining alternative futures.