Objects of Empire
The Ceramic Tradition of the Imperial Inca State
Published on 30. June 2025
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-1-4773-3068-5 (ISBN)
Description
A comparative, empire-wide study of the ceramics associated with the imperial Inca state, theorizing the role of these highly recognizable vessel forms in legitimizing Inca rule and establishing imperial identities.
The beautiful polychrome ceramics of the imperial Inca state have long been noted for their seemingly repetitive nature but little considered beyond this basic observation. The widespread distribution and general uniformity of the Inca pottery, however, hints at its larger importance to the imperial project. Moving beyond the pervasive "seen one, seen 'em all" mentality, Objects of Empire brings to light the variability and rich semiotic content of imperial Inca vessels. Taking a comparative, empire-wide approach, Tamara Bray identifies the parameters and significance of this variability, and defines the core elements of the imperial state style. She then investigates where, when, and why differences and deviations from the perceived norm occur.
This study illuminates the strategies of territorial expansion and political control that lay at the heart of the Inca juggernaut, as well as the role of objects in the calculus of would-be rulers and subjects. Based on a unique and extensive database of imperial Inca pottery developed through detailed study of archaeologically recovered and museum-based collections, Objects of Empire reveals how power and legitimacy were produced and reproduced under the Inca through the material culture of everyday life.
The beautiful polychrome ceramics of the imperial Inca state have long been noted for their seemingly repetitive nature but little considered beyond this basic observation. The widespread distribution and general uniformity of the Inca pottery, however, hints at its larger importance to the imperial project. Moving beyond the pervasive "seen one, seen 'em all" mentality, Objects of Empire brings to light the variability and rich semiotic content of imperial Inca vessels. Taking a comparative, empire-wide approach, Tamara Bray identifies the parameters and significance of this variability, and defines the core elements of the imperial state style. She then investigates where, when, and why differences and deviations from the perceived norm occur.
This study illuminates the strategies of territorial expansion and political control that lay at the heart of the Inca juggernaut, as well as the role of objects in the calculus of would-be rulers and subjects. Based on a unique and extensive database of imperial Inca pottery developed through detailed study of archaeologically recovered and museum-based collections, Objects of Empire reveals how power and legitimacy were produced and reproduced under the Inca through the material culture of everyday life.
Reviews / Votes
"A tremendous book. Bray excavates countless important artifacts from the depths of museum collections and masterfully pieces them together to yield a much more detailed and nuanced understanding of Inca vessels. This accomplished book will undoubtedly define both studies of Inca ceramic production and the impact of Inca imperialism on artistic traditions for years to come." - Andrew James Hamilton, Art Institute of Chicago and University of Chicago, author of The Royal Inca Tunic: A Biography of an Andean Masterpiece"Bray has produced an insightful book on Inca pottery and the role it played in the semiotics of imperial power. This beautifully illustrated book offers a comprehensive examination of the importance of Inca ceramic assemblages in statecraft, daily life, and the materiality of social practices. It will be an invaluable contribution to Andean studies and the archaeology of ancient empires." - Sonia Alconini, University of Virginia, author of Southeastern Inka Frontiers: Boundaries and Interaction
"Objects of Empire explores the role of ceramics in the culinary activities and politics of the Inca Empire. Bray's synthesis of earlier work and innovative new research investigates how and why the forms and decoration of this pottery played such a significant role within Inca statecraft, including regional variations in Inca pottery. This extensive introduction to Inca pottery has a wealth of illustrations and descriptions that will become a useful reference point for people wishing to research Inca pottery in the future." - Bill Sillar, University College London, author of Shaping Culture: Making Pots and Constructing Households.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Austin, TX
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
260 color photos
Dimensions
Height: 284 mm
Width: 223 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
1316 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4773-3068-5 (9781477330685)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
06/2025
1st Edition
University of Texas Press
€165.99
Available for download
Person
Tamara L. Bray is a professor of anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She is the author or editor of several books including The Archaeology of Wak'as: Explorations of the Sacred in the Pre-Columbian Andes, Visual Languages of the Inca, and The Future of the Past: Archaeologists, Native Americans, and Repatriation.
Content
List of Illustrations
List of Repositories Where Inca Ceramic Collections Were Photo-Documented
Chapter 1. Inca Pottery from Multiple Angles
Chapter 2. Tawantinsuyu and the Antecedents of Imperial Inca Pottery
Chapter 3. The Imperial Inca Ceramic Assemblage
Chapter 4. Andean Foodways and Inca Pottery
Chapter 5. Inca Pottery Production
Chapter 6. Elements of Imperial Design
Chapter 7. Interpretive Approaches to Inca Iconography
Chapter 8. Inca Ceramics around the Empire
Chapter 9. Things Make the State
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index
List of Repositories Where Inca Ceramic Collections Were Photo-Documented
Chapter 1. Inca Pottery from Multiple Angles
Chapter 2. Tawantinsuyu and the Antecedents of Imperial Inca Pottery
Chapter 3. The Imperial Inca Ceramic Assemblage
Chapter 4. Andean Foodways and Inca Pottery
Chapter 5. Inca Pottery Production
Chapter 6. Elements of Imperial Design
Chapter 7. Interpretive Approaches to Inca Iconography
Chapter 8. Inca Ceramics around the Empire
Chapter 9. Things Make the State
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index