Design for Eternity: Architectural Models from the Ancient Americas

Design for Eternity: Architectural Models from the Ancient Americas
ISBN-10
1588395766
ISBN-13
9781588395764
Category
History
Pages
104
Language
English
Published
2015-10-26
Publisher
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Authors
Joanne Pillsbury, James Doyle, Patricia Joan Sarro

Description

From the first millennium B.C. until the arrival of Europeans in the sixteenth century, artists from across the ancient Americas created small-scale architectural effigies to be placed in the tombs of important individuals. These works range from highly abstracted, minimalist representations of temples and houses to elaborate complexes populated with figures, conveying a rich sense of ancient ritual and daily life. Although often called models, these effigies were not created as prototypes for structures, but rather to serve as components of funerary practices that conveyed beliefs about an afterlife. Design for Eternity is the first publication in English to explore the full variety of these exquisite architectural works. The vivid illustrations and insightful essays focus on the concepts embodied in architectural representations and the role these intriguing sculptures played in mediating relationships among the living, the dead, and the divine.

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