Pre-Columbian America

Because educational curricula in the West typically emphasize European civilization and cultural traditions, pre- Columbian civilizations are, at best, a peripheral concept for many people today. Perhaps the best-known features of pre-Columbian civilizations are architectural, namely the Mayan and Aztec pyramids and the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu, and ritualistic, such as a penchant for human sacrifice. Yet these isolated elements provide only a fragmented, and thus distorted, picture of the cultures to which they belonged. These elements alone cannot convey the size, richness, and complex history of pre-Columbian civilizations. Details found in this book mark an attempt to rectify that situation. Readers will come to a deep understanding of the cultures, traditions, accomplishments, and belief systems of the Mesoamerican and Andean peoples. The term “pre-Columbian”