Cotsen Institute / Archaeology
Advances in Titicaca Basin archaeology — 1.
Here begins a planned series of edited volumes on the archaeology of the 50,000 km2 Titicaca Basin in Peru. Archaeologists from the US, and two from Peru, offer 18 reports on such aspects as Archaic Period research in the Río Huenque Valley, the Upper (Middle and Late) Formative Period, evacuations at Sillumocco-Huaquina, and Inka ceremonial sites in the southwest Basin. Published by the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Foundations of Chumash complexity.
Archaeologists from the US and Canada present the findings of recent research into the later prehistory of the groups known collectively as the Chumash, who were among the maritime societies of coastal southern California. The topics include the origins of large-species fishing, social and economic dynamics on San Miguel Island, quarries and microblades, specialized bead making, and complex hunter-gatherers. The ten papers were delivered at the 2002 Denver meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Us and them; archaeology and ethnicity in the Andes.
Presented at a symposium held at the annual meeting of the Society for American Archeology in April 1999, 14 papers advance the study of prehistoric Andean ethnicity. But unlike early 20th century approaches that generated lists of presumably static ethnic traits, the current focus is on variations in material culture (illustrated) indicative of ethnic identity as dynamic. Genetic methods for assessing group kinship are also discussed. The contributors' affiliations are not given. The Cotsen Institute of Archeology is at the U. of California, Los Angeles. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
