The World of Art in San Agustin

Richly�documented with�photographs,�the heart of the archaeological area of San Agust穩n and the Colombian Massif is revealed in this volume�documenting the largest collection of megalithic sculptures of pre-Hispanic South America. Detailing the mystery that has surrounded the artifacts' content and language, the study claims that the keys to understanding the art of the Massif are in the statuary itself, that its artistic qualities must be investigated rather than its mythic or religious significance. The book contends that the meanings of these works are literally written in stone, offering several new interpretations regarding their origins. Capturing countless vestiges of roads, fields of cultivation, houses, tombs, and nearly 500 statues, reliefs, and rock carvings, the collection presented in the book has intrigued researchers from the very first moments of its discovery.