The Art of Precolumbian Ecuador

In an elegant 17th-century house in the historic center of Quito, Ecuador, visitors can find some 5,000 archeological masterworks created in a range of raw materials by ancient peoples. The house, the Casa del Alabado, or House of Praise, passed its name to the museum, a fitting title for the space that contains a unique collection of indigenous works of art, with some 500 pieces permanently on view. This book brings the art to a wider public, explaining the worldview and philosophy of these ancient peoples, in particular the importance of preserving life by maintaining the flow of cosmic energy and spiritual communication between the distinct worlds that made up their universe.