Customer Reviews:
Catalogue of a 1995-96 exhibition with 7 papers and pictures of the artifacts.......2006-02-24
This quite beautiful book is the product of an exhibition by the Art Museum of Princeton University that ran from December 1995 through February 1996. It was called "The Olmec World: Ritual and Rulership". The first half of the book contains seven very interesting papers that made varying degrees of sense to me. Not because the papers were poor, but simply because I am not an authority in the field. Trying to weigh and interpret the scant threads of evidence (but the evidence is actually amazing) is tough for professionals. For amateurs like me, it is quite impossible to do much more than pay your money and take your chances. We follow along as best we can and watch developing trends in the scholarship.
The papers discuss various ideas of Olmec political / religious (not in our sense) organization, the extent of their cultural influence, the things we can tease out of the shamanistic symbols found, the artistic motifs we see again and again, and certain specific symbols such as the tree of life (by the greatly lamented Linda Schele). Enjoy the papers. They will enrich your idea of the culture we call the Olmec as it existed in multiple forms over a long period of time. However, another great benefit is to learn about how archaeologists and anthropologists of real quality work with evidence and construct their theories. This is especially so because we have no writing of the Olmec, if they ever had any.
The second half of the book is the actual catalogue of the show. It is full of glorious color photographs of amazing artifacts with very helpful annotations. It will dazzle you.
This is a very fine book about a wonderfully interesting civilization that great scholars continue to bring to more vivid life for us.
I also strongly recommend John E. Clark's "Olmec Art and Archaeology in Mesomerica" that may be available in a strong library near you.
Reconstructing a culture entirely from religious art.......2003-02-09
Mesoamerican archaeology is a little world by itself - I know, because I used to live in it. It has a very cosy relationship with museums and the "art" collectors who buy the objects that are looted from archaeological sites, which lie destroyed, torn into shreds under the forests all over Central America and Mexico. But it has almost no touch with reality any more. The things they say about the ancient Olmec are almost fantasy, because in truth we know so little about these people. Almost all the objects in this book were stolen from Mexico, ripped from the archaeological context that might tell us something about their real meaning. These are probably religious articles - we may never know. But imagine trying to reconstruct the rich life of rennaisance Italy by looking at reliquaries in Catholic churches! If you are still persuaded by the "mysterious Olmec" propaganda spouted by Coe and his looter buddies, go read Flannery & Marcus in the first 2000 issue of the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, and think it over.
A Must Have for any Olmec Enthusiast.......2000-11-17
The Olmec World is an amazing resource for those who study or have an appreciation of early Mesoamerican Art. At its most basic level The Olmec World is the catalogue of the 1996 Olmec Exhibition at the Art Museum at Princeton University the first comprehensive show of Olmec art in America. Drawing upon nearly all of the major Olmec museum collections in North America from Dunbarton Oaks to Princeton's own expansive holdings, the exhibition also drew heavily from many private collections never before shown to the general public. For instance, John Stokes' amazing collection of ceramic babies and jade masks are showcased in this catalogue. However, almost as impressive as the pictures are the essays in this collection. Michael Coe has done a marvelous job of soliticing and editing a myriad of papers on the mysterious Olmec.
Book Description
This reissue of three early essays on Mimbres archaeology and design fills a major gap in the literature on the Mimbres, whose pottery has long fascinated students of the prehistoric Southwest. Fewkes, one of the eminent archaeologists of the early twentieth century, introduced Mimbres art to scholars when he published these essays with the Smithsonian Institution between 1914 and 1924, under the titles Archaeology of the Lower Mimbres Valley, New Mexico, Designs on Prehistoric Pottery from the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico, and Additional Designs on Prehistoric Mimbres Pottery. Long out-of-print, these essays represent the first analysis and description of the complex abstract and representational designs that continue to fascinate us 2,000 years after they were painted.
Customer Reviews:
a comprehencive guide to mimbres art.......1999-11-02
I bought this book for the pictures alone! I understand most of the technical write ups but Im the biggest fan of mimbres art ever! I love the whimsical and acurate art of animals some from suprizing places? worth the money for the art work alone!
Book Description
Lavishly illustrated with nearly 400 color images, Painting the Maya Universe is the most thorough study and brilliant display of Classic Maya ceramic painting yet published. Building on twenty years of research and debate, Dorie Reents-Budet and her collaborators Joseph W. Ball, Ronald L. Bishop, Virginia M. Fields, and Barbara MacLeod bring together many perspectives, including the art historical, archaeological, epigraphical, and ethnohistorical, to examine one of the world’s great but overlooked painting traditions. With an emphasis on sixth- to eighth-century pottery featuring both pictorial and hieroglyphic imagery, Painting the Maya Universe presents an extraordinary exploration of the cultural roles and meanings of these Guatemalan, Belizean, and Mexican elite painted ceramics. Maya pottery is discussed both in aesthetic terms and for the important information it reveals about Maya society, artistry, politics, history, religion, and ritual. The range of ceramic painting styles developed during this period is also presented and defined in detail.
Painting the Maya Universe is the first publication to present a definitive translation of the hieroglyphic texts painted on these objects. With many glyphs deciphered here for the first time, this analysis reveals much about how these vessels were perceived and used by the Maya, their owners’ names, and, in several cases, the names of the artists who created them. This information is combined with archaeological and other data, including nuclear chemical analyses, to correlate painting styles with specific Maya sites.
Published in conjunction with Duke University Museum of Art and an exhibition touring the United States, Painting the Maya Universe presents an astonishing visual record as well as a monumental scholarly achievement. With photographs by Justin Kerr, the foremost photographer of pre-Columbian art, it includes over 90 unique full-color rollout photographs, each showing the entire surface of an object in a single frame. The book also addresses the questions and controversy regarding the loss of information that occurs when objects are removed from their archaeological context to become part of public and private collections.
Painting the Maya Universe will energize discussion of Maya pottery, hieroglyphic texts, and iconography. Its photographs, a lasting resource on this great painting tradition, will stimulate and delight the eye. It is a breakthrough in art history and Latin American scholarship that will enrich general readers and scholars alike.
Customer Reviews:
Hundreds of brilliant color plates and expert essays........1999-03-07
I've read much of what has been written about Mayan ceramics and can say with confidence that this is the best book on the subject ever written. The essays in it, by top professionals, discuss the forms and functions of the ceramics, the meaning of their calligraphy, their basic themes and the places particular styles of ceramics come from. Indeed, if you read it carefully and more than once, you too will be able to decipher the principal inscriptions even on pots that are not in the book. There are hundreds of full-color photographs of Mayan ceramic vases and plates in this book. These vases are decorated with pictures of formed the greatest Pre-Columbian civilization. These ceramics depict Mayan textile design, Mayan hair-dressing, Mayan head-dresses, Mayan ceramics (within the ceramic paintings), Mayan concepts of design and of the other worlds below this one. From them we learn of Mayan myth,Mayan ritual, Mayan daily life, and Mayan art. Leaving aside the great monumental art of sculpture and stucco that adorned major structures, leaving aside the structures themselves, and giving credit for a host of varieties of artistic representations ranging from the Tsimshian to the Moche... I think it is an absolute fact that the art that appears on Mayan ceramics is the best that America ever created prior to Columbus and arguably the best... period. This book discusses, describes, depicts and defends that incredible artistic legacy better than any other ever did.
Wonderful!.......1997-12-04
This handsome book covers a wide range of Maya ceramic imagery, and is filled with stunning photographs. The imagery is also broken down by catagory, and is supplimented with explations of glyphs. The accessible text that explores the mythology, culture, iconography, and hieroglyphics on and related to the ceramics. The information is thorough without being overly specialized.
Customer Reviews:
a must have for any pottery collector and artist.......2007-09-26
this is a beautiful book the the pictures in the book are so vivid and colorful, it would make a wonderful addition to any library or it would make a great coffee table book!
visual journey into the past.......2007-07-20
I was impressed with the display groupings presented and the journey of the authors beginnings of his collections and the knowledge he aquired along the way. He gave good advice to new collectors. I open it daily and alway see something I missed. It's a great book to add to your collection.
Excellent overview of every pueblo's pottery.......2005-08-10
I'd been looking for a book like this for ages. It goes through every pueblo's pottery, describing the special characteristics of each, and talks about the important potters in each pueblo.
This is very well written in an easy going, non-snobish style, instantly increasing your depth of knowledge in southwestern pottery. The photographs are excellent and plentiful, giving many diverse examples from each pueblo/region/era.
Highly recommended for those new to collecting. I gave a copy to my parents in New Mexico, and even though they had been doing a bit of collecting for years, they have a much better understanding of the history of some of the pottery sitting on their shelves. They love this book.
A Great Place to Start.......2003-02-27
This is an excellent book for both the beginner or serious student of Southwestern Pottery. It gives examples of all styles, types, and designs, making it easy for anyone to understand what makes each Pueblo's pottery unique. Perhaps not as "in depth" as some others, this book is easily the best book out there today as far as explaining and illustrating the basics. It really is an indispensable guide and reference book. The authors are regular guys rather than scholars, so it is easy and enjoyable to read, and filled with great photos of their quite amazing collections. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a place to begin learning about Southwestern Pottery.
A must for pottery collectors and fans.......2002-01-26
An excellent introduction and reference on Southwestern pottery. The authors cover each of the major styles and pueblos, with history, anecdotes, and great color pictures.
They also have a delightful approach to collecting, emphasizing pieces that teach something or appeal to them, rather than perfect (and expensive!) museum-quality work.
Book Description
This beautiful art book tells the story of the "other Southwest," tracing the history of centuries of conflict and resolution between Natives, Hispanics, and Anglos, as well as their respective artistic accomplishments. This far-reaching collection of artifacts invites you to explore the achievements and art of cultures that overcame unfathomable obstacles to build the Southwest that we know today.
Customer Reviews:
OFF THE COFFEE TABLE AND INTO YOUR PSYCHE.......2007-08-07
Was the movie Chinatown fact or fiction? In The Desert Southwest: Four Thousand Years of Life and Art, Allan and Carol Hayes tell you the real story behind the water deal that turned Los Angeles into what it is today -- and about the century after century of history that preceded it.
In school, you were told that the valleys of the Nile, the Tigris and the Euphrates were the "cradles of
civilization," but did anyone ever tell you that the southern Arizona desert is considered the cradle of civilization in the United States?
Recent excavations indicate that people began living an agriculture-based lifestyle in the Tuscon basin four thousand years ago. Why and how did the dry, hard-edged, hostile desert become the place where millions of Americans want to live today .. a place where, for centuries, talented artists, engineers and craftsmen have created everything from sophisticated irrigation systems to magnificent pottery.
Don't be misled -- this book would look terrific on your coffee table with its stunning photographs by John
Blom. But what's best about it is not what it shows you but what it tells you. This is much more than a coffee table book -- the words and pictures leap off the page and into your psyche.
Read it and you will never feel the same about the desert southwest again.
A wonderful read.......2006-12-05
This is a treasure book for anyone living in Arizona or trying to know it better. What a great read: funny and studious. The authors present their opinions with joy and research and tell you why they ended up where they are.
A great keeper and a great gift.
History that reads like a Tony Hillerman novel, only funnier ...........2006-11-22
This is not a coffee-table book, although it would look good on any coffee table. It's a meticiously researched
history-anthropology-archeology book that reads like a Tony Hillerman novel, only funnier. And it's filled with wonderful photographs (both historical and contemporary),some of which show things like things you could actually buy.
Many people think the history of the Desert Southwest began with the Pueblos and ended with Indian Gaming,
but this book traces its history, art and culture back for more than 4000 years. And it takes the reader far beyond New Mexico and Arizona to amazing sites in Utah, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Southern California and Northern Mexico.
My husband and I lived in the Southwest for many years and thought we knew a lot about the area -- but this
book opened our eyes. We lent it to Hispanic and Native neighbors, who said the same thing. I reccommend it to anyone as a fresh, readable exploration of a fascinating subject. And as a terrific take-along travel guide
to anyone planning a trip to the Desert Southwest.
By the way, if you're already into Pueblo Pottery, check out the first Hayes-Blom book, Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni.
A Gem of a Book.......2006-11-21
A great book with lots of beautiful photos of new and ancient Southwestern pottery. The history of the Southwest's peoples is covered along with some photos. Overall, this book offers useful information for the novice as well as the professional. It is a must for anyone seeking to invest in ancient Southwest pottery.
Average customer rating:
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Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery
Douglas Congdon-Martin
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
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Pueblo Stories and Storytellers
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The Pueblo Storyteller: Development of a Figurative Ceramic Tradition
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Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni
ASIN: 0887402704 |
Book Description
Out of a long and rich tradition of pottery making among the Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest there has grown a new and exciting form. In 1964, Helen Cordero of Cochiti created a clay image of her grandfather, Santiago Quintana, with five children clinging to him. With this piece the storyteller was born. Almost at once storytellers caught the attention of the public. Beginning at Cochiti and continuing in the other pueblos, the storyteller became a favorite form of pottery. Now the form is even beginning to be used by others outside of the pueblos. The storytellers have come to include not only male figures, but females, turtles, frogs, and coyotes. In this new book, the reader will find the most extensive collection of storytellers ever gathered in print. Over 400 pieces by nearly 150 artists are shown in full color, and organized by pueblo. In addition to storytellers, nativities and other figurative pottery are represented.
Average customer rating:
- super!! good story!! xcellent graphics!!
- Preserving Heritage
- beautifully illustrated, lyrical poem about pottery
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When Clay Sings
Byrd Baylor
Manufacturer: Aladdin
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The Way to Start a Day
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The Other Way to Listen
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Hawk, I'm Your Brother
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The Desert Is Theirs
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Everybody Needs a Rock (An Aladdin Book)
ASIN: 0689711069 |
Book Description
Pieces of broken pots are scattered over the desert hillsides of the Southwest. The Indians there treat them with respect -- "Every piece of clay is a piece of someone's life," they say. And the children try to imagine those lives that took place in the desert they think of as their own.
Clay has its own small voice, and sings. Its song has lasted for thousands of years. And Byrd Baylor's prose-poem as simple and powerful as the clay pots, sings too.
Customer Reviews:
super!! good story!! xcellent graphics!!.......2004-06-25
i find the book interesting, its approach in introducing children to archaeology and culture is unique and should be followed..
the drawings / paintings are marvelous!!!!
i believe children (and adults) will find the book stand out from others....
Preserving Heritage.......2000-03-28
When Clay Sings, tells the story of Indian pottery lying in the sands of the desert of the American Southwest. This pottery cries out with stories from the lives, customs, and thoughts of the people. The legacy of their lives are wrapped up in the art. The beautiful Indian artwork on each page matches the lyrical, imagery effect of the text. A great book for introducing children to Indian heritage or pottery in general.
beautifully illustrated, lyrical poem about pottery.......1998-11-23
This is a book I would give to my grownup friends who are potters, or graphic artisits, or parents of budding artists.... I was drawn in by the title and the cover art, and enchanted by what I found...truly a treasure! It is about the centuries-old tradition of pottery and the stillness necessary to hear the small voice in the clay as it sings to the potter. A wonderful book to give as a gift during these holidays so filled with noise and technology and BUY ME! Enjoy.
Book Description
Why the elegant Mimbres black-on-white pottery designs have largely escaped the attention of the art world and the general public is as puzzling as the life and disappearance of the Mimbres people themselves. In their primitive world-living a nearly Stone Age existence within southwest New Mexico and southeast Arizona in the tenth century A.D.-these mysterious people made their delicate and refined pottery with enchanting hand-painted, black-on-white designs that go unrivalled in all the 8,000 years of pottery making. With a succinct, accurate explanatory text, precise renderings of Mimbres designs, and thoughtful interpretations for each work of art, "Art of a Vanished Race" offers a veritable art history of the remarkable Mimbres people.
Customer Reviews:
great homage to a forgotten group of artists........2007-07-20
I saw the largest collection of this pottery while in Silver City, NM and wanted a book about it. This is a great reasonably priced example of mimbres art and is suitable for framing (after you remove from book). In the meantime I'll try not to get tatoos of the geckos.
Book Description
For almost eight hundred years (100 BC–AD 650) Nasca artists modeled and painted the plants, animals, birds, and fish of their homeland on Peru’s south coast as well as numerous abstract anthropomorphic creatures whose form and meaning are sometimes incomprehensible today. In this first book-length treatment of Nasca ceramic iconography to appear in English, drawing upon an archive of more than eight thousand Nasca vessels from over 150 public and private collections, Donald Proulx systematically describes the major artistic motifs of this stunning polychrome pottery, interprets the major themes displayed on this pottery, and then uses these descriptions and his stimulating interpretations to analyze Nasca society. After beginning with an overview of Nasca culture and an explanation of the style and chronology of Nasca pottery, Proulx moves to the heart of his book: a detailed classification and description of the entire range of supernatural and secular themes in Nasca iconography along with a fresh and distinctive interpretation of these themes. Linking the pots and their iconography to the archaeologically known Nasca society, he ends with a thorough and accessible examination of this ancient culture viewed through the lens of ceramic iconography. Although these static images can never be fully understood, by animating their themes and meanings Proulx reconstructs the lifeways of this complex society.
Customer Reviews:
Must Have Source.......2007-02-25
For those captivated by ancient Andean imagery Don Proulx's A Sourcebook of Nasca Ceramic Iconography provides an indispensable guide to the colourful world of the Nasca. Located on Peru's south coast in the first centuries A.D., Nasca potters left a visual account of their world view in an astounding array of depictive designs. Drawing on forty years of study, Proulx offers the first comprehensive catalogue of Nasca motifs, along with his own identifications and interpretations. In addition to the motif catalogue, Proulx provides the most extensive description of the nine-phase Nasca pottery sequence ever published in one place. This contribution alone makes this book a "must have" reference. The Sourcebook also contains Proulx's own overview of Nasca culture, covering special topics such as religion, subsistence, daily life, material culture, and dwellings. A Sourcebook of Nasca Ceramic Iconography is destined to be a standard reference for generations to come. It represents the crowning achievement of Proulx's long and distinguished career, though not, we hope, the last we hear from Don Proulx.
Average customer rating:
- Specialty college-level art holdings will find it indispensable.
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Re-creating the Word: Painted Ceramics of the Prehistoric Southwest
Barbara L. Moulard
Manufacturer: Schenck Southwest Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Secrets of Casas Grandes: Pre-Columbian Art & Archaeology of Northern Mexico
ASIN: 0971915008 |
Book Description
Re-Creating the Word: Painted Ceramics of the Prehistoric Southwest is a survey of prehistoric ceramic art created by anonymous artists of the Southwest. Through an analysis of the ceramic artworks, author Barbara L. Moulard examines the cultural and mythological traditions and worldviews of the Hohokam, Mogollon, and Pueblo (Anasazi) societies. This book introduces fresh discussion and interpretation of prehistoric Southwest ceramics, and new insight and appreciation of the artisans and societies that created them.
The 130 artworks presented here have been culled from thousands of examples for more than thirty years. They are some of the most exquisite prehistoric ceramics known to exist, and span a time period of nine hundred years from roughly A.D. 750 to 1680. In Re-Creating the Word, you will see twenty-eight Mimbres bowls, the finest group of Sikyatki Polychromes ever assembled in a private collection, and beautiful and rare Salado, Hohokam, and White Mountain Red Wares.
The lavishly illustrated catalog of the Schenk pottery collection with a fresh interpretation of prehistoric Southwest ceramics.
Customer Reviews:
Specialty college-level art holdings will find it indispensable........2006-10-16
Prehistoric ceramic art created by anonymous artists of the Southwest rarely receives its own focus and usually receives passing mention in larger studies of Southwest archaeology or art, so it's satisfying to see a study devoted entirely to the topic in RE-CREATING THE WORD: PAINTED CERAMICS OF THE PREHISTORIC SOUTHWEST. Full-page color photo displays of surviving ceramics accompany commentary by the author, a freelance exhibit curator and adjunct faculty associate of the Art Department at Arizona State University. Specialty college-level art holdings will find it indispensable.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
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