Island, River, and Field : Landscape Archaeology in the Llanos De Mojos

Archaeologists have long associated the development of agriculture with the rise of the state. But the archaeology of the Amazon Basin, revealing traces of agriculture but lacking evidence of statehood, confounds their assumptions. John H. Walker's innovative study of the Bolivian Amazon addresses this contradiction by examining the agricultural landscape and analyzing the earthworks from an archaeological perspective. The archaeological data is presented in ascending scale throughout the book. Scholars across archaeology and environmental anthropology will find the methodology and theoretical arguments essential for further study. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Acknowledgments 12 Chater One. Archaeology in the Amazon 14 Chapter Two. From Calculation to Taskscape 38 Chapter Three. Within the Circle 54 Chapter Four. Between Field and Island 86 Chapter Five. West Central Mojos and Its Neighbors 118 Chapter Six. Farmers, Fishers, and Foresters 144 Chapter Seven. Taking Place, Making Places 176 Appendix 190 References 192 Index 214 Archaeologists have long associated the development of agriculture with the rise of the state. But the archaeology of the Amazon Basin, revealing traces of agriculture but lacking evidence of statehood, confounds their assumptions. This study of the Bolivian Amazon addresses this contradiction, examining the agricultural landscape and analysing the earthworks from an archaeological perspective.