Peruvian Archaeology: A Critical History [Hardcover]

This book offers a unique, critical perspective on the history of Peruvian archaeology by a native scholar. Leading Peruvian archaeologist Henry Tantale?n illuminates the cultural legacy of colonialism beginning with founding father Max Uhle and traces key developments to the present. These include the growth of Peruvian institutions; major figures from Tello and Valc?rcel to Larco, Rowe, and Murra; war, political upheaval, and Peruvian regimes; developments in archaeological and social science theory as they impacted Andean archaeology; and modern concerns such as heritage, neoliberalism, and privatization. This post-colonial perspective on research and its sociopolitical context is an essential contribution to Andean archaeology and the growing international dialogue on the history of archaeology.

This critical history of Peruvian archaeology makes a significant contribution to Andean archaeology, to the history of archaeology, and to our understanding of the social context of research.

This is a marvelous book, rich in content and interpretative sophistication. Any archaeologist that considers working in South America should read this book. And anyone interested in the history of ideas and the role of archaeological knowledge in our daily lives will find this a fascinating read.
from the foreword by Charles Stanish, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, UCLA

There have been a number of histories of Peruvian archaeology, but most focus on the development of cultural sequences, major discoveries, and the contributions of archaeologists to the rise and spread of Central Andean civilizations. Tantale?n, however, places the history of Peruvian archaeology within the context not only of changing Peruvian governmental systems, but of Peruvian archaeological politics and theoretical positions, the establishment of archaeology in museums and universities, and the role of foreign influence in the development of Peruvian archaeololc.