ARTH 3402 - Art of the Ancient Andes

Credits: 3 (3 + 0)

Prerequisite(s): ARTH 1600 and ARTH 1700 with “C-” or better in each; or permission of department

Description: This course provides an overview of the artistic developments that appeared in the Central Andes between the Initial Period (1800-1000 BCE) and the Spanish Conquest of the Incan Empire in 1534. Artworks and architectural structures are situated in relation to the cultures that rose and fell in this region during the Pre-Columbian era, beginning with the peoples of Chavin de Huantar and ending with the vast empire of the Inca. Students learn to locate art objects, styles, and iconographies within larger frameworks of history, religious beliefs, and cultural worldviews. Material from Conquest-period documents, ethno-histories, and archaeological excavations are used to elucidate the subjects, functions, and forms of the artworks and architectural structures examined by the class.