Ancient road networks and settlement hierarchies in the New World

Abstract

Comprises recent studies of prehispanic and prehistoric roads in the southwestern US, Mexico, and Central and South America, giving particular attention to their significance for economic and political organisation, and regional communication. Taken together the contributions help to identify regularities and peculiarities on a cross-cultural basis to account for functions and locations, and to ascertain their usefulness as an index of social complexity. The first two parts of the book highlight theoretical and methodological considerations; the third, and largest, part presents 12 regional studies. The majority of papers are abstracted separately. -P.Hardiman