Pre-Columbian Art
This Web page has materials related to Pre-Columbian art.
Art Reference Books | Books | Identify Articles | Pre-Columbian Art on the Web |
Art Reference Books
Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia. F1218.6 .A73 2001 Ref
Dictionary of Art. 34 vols. N 31 .D5 1996 Reference. Online link Art Online available to CSU affiliates.
Enciclopedia del Peru. F 3409.5 .E63 2001 Ref
Facts on File Encyclopedia of Art. 5 vols. N 31 .F33 2005 Ref Vol. 3 has Pre-Columbian Art
Historical Dictionary of Ancient Mesoamerica. F 1434 .H57 2000 Ref
Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures: The Civilizations of Mexico and Central America. 3 vols. F 1218.6 .O95 2001 Ref
Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology. F 1219.3 .R38 R42 2000 Ref
Books
Identify books on Pre-Columbian art in general (and specific kinds) in the library catalog, SAGE. Identify additional titles in Prospector, the Colorado Union Catalog. CSU affiliates may request items from Prospector (but must establish a PIN in SAGE first). Search the following terms using a Subject search; be sure to look at the subdivisions as well, when available. Some of the subjects below have only one or two books about them at CSU.
Art Mexico |
Indians of Mexico Antiquities |
Identify Articles
Use the following indexes/databases to identify articles by topic. JSTOR is full text for items at least 3-5 years old; check FindIt@CSU for electronic and/or print ownership (found in the library catalog SAGE) in the other databases. Check SAGE for articles identified in the print indexes. The terms listed are starting suggestions that vary by topic; be sure to do additional searches that match your specific research needs.
Academic Search Premier. Varies.
Caves
Decorative arts
Figurines
Idols & imagesMaya art
Rites & ceremonies
Ritual
Small sculpture
Art Abstracts. 1984- . Also in print, scattered years from 1932-1998; Z 5937 .A78 Reference South
Anasazi culture
Art, Pre-Columbian--Exhibitions
Art, Pre-Columbian--Sales and prices
Art, Primitive--Sales and prices
Civilization, Pre-Columbian (Middle American)
Iconography, Pre-Columbian
Masks, Pre-Columbian (Middle American)--Reproductions
Pottery, Pre-Columbian (Middle American)--Reproductions
Pre-Columbian antiquities (North American)
Pre-Columbian antiquities--Exhibitions
Sculpture, Pre-Columbian (Middle American)--Reproductions
Stone implements
Art Index Retrospective 1929-1984.
America--Discovery and exploration, Pre-Columbian
Architecture, Pre-columbian (Middle American)
Art, Pre-columbian (Middle American)--Exhibitions
Art, Pre-columbian (South American)--Exhibitions
Art, Pre-columbian--Exhibitions
Cities And towns, Pre-Columbian (Middle American)
Goldwork, Pre-columbian (South American)--Exhibitions
Pre-columbian Antiquities (Middle American)
Sculpture, Pre-columbian (Middle American)
Textiles, Pre-columbian (South American)
eHRAF Collection of Archaeology.
Browse: Maya, Classic, NY53; Maya, Postclassic, NY54; Maya, Preclassic, NY52. Do subject searches for specific types of sites (e.g. pyramids).
JSTOR. Varies.
Search: "Pre-Columbian Art" and specific countries and eras of interest. Some of the articles in JSTOR have high-quality images so figures and objects may be seen.
New York Times Historical 1851- .
Find exhibition reviews. Details about a specific object may be scanty--but the possibility of an in-depth article on a figure or region is there.
Pre-Columbian Art on the Web
The following Web pages and sites have information on Pre-Columbian art. Be sure to evaluate what you find.
Pre-Columbian Art and History. Princeton Online.
Jump off point to multiple sites (a few directly linked to here). Annotated. Topically arranged (scroll down; these are not linked internally) by: Ancient Meso-American Civilization; Ancient Latin America; Exploration of the Americas; Peru: Ice Mummies (Inca Internet Lesson); Peru: Inca Trail and Machu Picchu; Peruvian Textiles; Pre-Columbian Gold - Pottery - Architecture; Aztec; Maya (Maya Internet Lesson); and Olmec.
Ancient Mesoamerican Civilizations. Kevin L. Callahan. University of Minnesota Department of Anthropology.
This page supplies links (limited or no annotations) to information regarding Mesoamerican Civilizations. The primary groups addressed are the Maya, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Aztec. Pop ups.
AncientMexico.com: The Art, Culture, and History of Ancient Mesoamerica. Patrick Olivares.
Map of Ancient Mesoamerica, the Gods (brief information on), and La Conquista: The Conquest of Mexico, which is a click through slide show with background music. From the La Conquista page there are tabs at the top for the other mentioned topics and a timeline and documents (found linked to on left side of page; text on page is description of Aztec Religion and Ritual, an Anonymous colonial indian account). Bookstore link (titles to Amazon.com) has bibliography. Pages fade in artistically.
Ancient Mexico Art. National Museum of the American Indian.
An introduction provides background for the exhibition (forty-four pieces). Collection is grouped by: animal imagery (six); ceramic vessels (seven); ceremonial objects (eight); daily life (six); funerary urns (three); masks (five); sculptural figures (five); and the ball game (four). Click on image to view larger size of object and brief description.
Pre-Columbian. ArtLex Art Dictionary. Michael Delahunt.
Examples of art from this time period with brief descriptions.
Precolumbian Art of Mesoamerica: Art History Resources.
Links to sources on the Web. Site and author(s) identified, but not annotated. Grouped by general history, art history, fringe, and online museum collections.
Collections: Pre-Columbian. Kimbell Art Museum
Selected objects from the collection. Click on link for picture of object and description. High-quality images and informative descriptions.
Pre-Columbian Art. Detroit Institute of Arts.
Brief descriptive text with eight examples. When clicked on the images are enlarged (and offer an even larger image) and given a description.
Pre-Columbian Art. Princeton University Art Museum.
Brief descriptive text of the museum's collection with nine examples. When clicked on the images are enlarged in a pop-forward box and given a description.
Worcester Art Museum. Pre-Columbian Art.
Ten images with very brief description. Click on image or hyperlinked text for larger image, description, and copyright notice.
Precolumbian Art of South America. (before 1532 A.D.)
Page with links arranged by: Web links, history and cultures, and museum sites. Provides page author, but no annotation. (A couple of the museum sites are directly linked to here.)
The Native Arts of the Americas & Oceania. Art History Resources on the Web. Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe.
Professor, Dept of Art History. Sweet Briar College, Virginia
Hugh list of linked-to sources. Not annotated, but grouped by area and topically. Extensive.
Pre-Columbian Art. Denver Art Museum.
Six images; click on to enlarge and see additional information about them.
In all cases be sure to evaluate what you find on the Web!
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Content: Naomi Lederer