BOOK REVIEW
Back in the High Life
Machu Picchu, Cuzco and Chan Chan are among the best known of ancient Andean cities. Yet there are hundreds of others, lesser known but as magnificent in their own way, say Adriana von Hagan and Craig Morris, authors of The Cities of the Ancient Andes (Thames and Hudson, $27.50). The authors describe ancient Andean urbanites as if they had lived among them: "Magically, a brightly dressed man appeared on the summit of temple, blowing a trumpet." Their accounts are reconstructed in part from such relics as the the gilded copper feline from the 3rd century (left) and a gold mummy mask, circa the10th. These were found in tombs on the north coast of Peru, in places called Sipán and Batán Grande, thousands of feet above sea level. The artifacts hightlight the quality of the region's metalwork—the cat's fangs, nose, eyes and ears are inlaid with stone and a rare, coral-rimmed shell. The cat also shows that the mountain-dwellers traded with coastal inhabitants: The inlaid shell, Spondylus, is found in Ecuador.
About once a month at Sigma Xi headquarters, we liven up the lunch hour with an American Scientist Pizza Lunch talk. In these informal lectures, scientists describe new research to nonscientists. The series is light on jargon but heavy on solid science. Each Pizza Lunch offers an in-depth look at its subject, whether it's bedbugs or the smart grid. Click below to read about and download these talks -- and to subscribe!
