The world's most artful and skillful stone architecture is found at Tiahuanaco at the southern end of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. The precision of the stone masonry rivals that of the Incas to the point that writers from Spanish chroniclers of the sixteenth century to twentieth-century authors have claimed that Tiahuanaco not only served as a model for Inca architecture and stone masonry, but that the Incas even imported stonemasons from the Titicaca Basin to construct their buildings. Experiments aimed at replicating the astounding feats of the Tiahuanaco stonecutters--perfectly planar surfaces, perfect exterior and interior right angles, and precision to within 1 mm--throw light on the stonemasons' skill and knowledge, especially of geometry and mathematics. Detailed analyses of building stones yield insights into the architecture of Tiahuanaco, including its appearance, rules of composition, canons, and production, filling a significant gap in the understanding of Tiahuanaco's material culture.

This architectural study attempts to explain how the Incas, who did not have iron tools or a knowledge of the wheel, were able to mine and transport extremely heavy stone and rock, following which these materials were converted into remarkably large structures.

The first major synthesis exploring Tiwanaku civilization in its geographical and cultural setting.

This book examines the theoretical foundations of the processes of planning and design. When people – alone or in groups – want to solve problems or improve their situation, they make plans. Horst Rittel studied this process of making plans and he developed theories – including his notion of "wicked problems" – that are used in many fields today. From product design, architecture and planning – where Rittel’s work was originally developed – to governmental agencies, business schools and software design, Rittel’s ideas are being used. This book collects previously unavailable work of Rittel’s within the framework of a discussion of Rittel’s theories and philosophical influences.

By examining the stunning stone buildings and dynamic spaces of the royal estate of Chinchero, Nair brings to light the rich complexity of Inca architecture. This investigation ranges from the paradigms of Inca scholarship and a summary of Inca cultural practices to the key events of Topa Inca's reign and the many individual elements of Chinchero's extraordinary built environment. What emerges are the subtle, often sophisticated ways in which the Inca manipulated space and architecture in order to impose their authority, identity, and agenda. The remains of grand buildings, as well as a series of deft architectural gestures in the landscape, reveal the unique places that were created within the royal estate and how one space deeply informed the other. These dynamic settings created private places for an aging ruler to spend time with a preferred wife and son, while also providing impressive spaces for imperial theatrics that reiterated the power of Topa Inca, the choice of his preferred heir, and the ruler's close relationship with sacred forces. This careful study of architectural details also exposes several false paradigms that have profoundly misguided how we understand Inca architecture, including the belief that it ended with the arrival of Spaniards in the Andes. Instead, Nair reveals how, amidst the entanglement and violence of the European encounter, an indigenous town emerged that was rooted in Inca ways of understanding space, place, and architecture and that paid homage to a landscape that defined home for Topa Inca.

It was 1988 - the maiden voyage and the first of nine journeys in the "And There I Was" series. Witness the grandeur of the Incan Empire and their predecessors and the greed and inhumanity of their Spanish conquerors. Experience the breathtaking geography of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia - the steaming jungles, the coastal deserts, the majestic Andes and the desolate moonscape that is the Altiplano - and the people who live there. Chew coca leaves, drink pisco and climb to mysterious mountaintop ruins. Raft the wild Urubamba and listen to the haunting sounds of the Andean panpipes. Encounter the usual suspects in a succession of eccentric gringos, bathe in Atahualpa's bath and march all night through village streets with ragtag Quechua bands. See the Pope in La Paz, climb an active volcano, experience near death in the Amazon and visit communities of escaped African slaves on the Ecuadorian coast. Sleep as guests of island residents on Lake Titicaca, visit the city that gave birth to the Sendero Luminosa, dodge landslides and take a forced march through the Bolivian jungle without water. Finally, wonder at stone statues of the world community of man carved two thousand years in the past. DH Koester has been a farmhand, aerospace engineer, atomic physicist, vagabond, materials engineer, professional photographer, artist, furniture maker, writer and hobo. He holds degrees in both Physics and Mathematics and though a citizen of the United States, spent seven years in the Canadian North.

"In 2009, Perú was the world's leading producer of silver, the world's second leading producer of copper, and the leading producer of gold in Latin America. However, Perú's role as a producer of metals extends for centuries into the past. Mining and Metallurgy in Ancient Perú documents the use of minerals, metals, and mineral resources in ancient Perú for pigments, industrial stone, and the aesthetic and artistic use of gold, silver, copper, and platinum. The tools and methods used for mining, as well as ancient mining sites in the extensive Andean region, are described here, as are metallurgical techniques and fabrication procedures. The volume also provides forward-thinking analytical data on metals, artifacts, and alloys. A detailed pyrite mirror, featured on the cover of the book, symbolizes the spectacular workmanship and blending of utilitarian craft and mineral resources in ancient Perú."--Publisher's description.