Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Andes

3 units

This course chronologically surveys the arts and archaeology of the Andean region of western South America from approximately 3000 BCE to 1532 CE. We will examine the material culture of selected cultures as our point of entry into the understanding of ancient social, political, and religious life. Visual analysis of architecture, metalwork, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, and other art forms will be supplemented by archaeological evidence, colonial documents, theories of religions, and the natural sciences. We will also critically read contemporary scholarship in order to address class themes of power structures, regional interaction, sacred landscape, and materiality. Prerequisite: Intro to Western Art (L01 113) or Intro to Modern Art (L01 215) or permission of instructor.