ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in subsequent chapters of this book. The book seeks to historicize Peruvian archaeology within a critical framework. The idea is to look at the large paths walked by the investigators of the Peruvian past at the end of the nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth, and to end with a series of critical reflections on the nature of contemporary Peruvian archaeology. Almost 25 years ago, the Canadian archaeologist Bruce Trigger published his History of Archaeological Thought, a book that sparked his initial interest in the history of archaeology. With only tangential reference to the great Julio C. Tello, for instance, Peruvian archaeology was relegated to being an exotic land where archaeologists came to test European and American theories and methodologies. As you will see in this book, Peruvian archaeology has captivated many people, including the author. His hope is that this crisscrossed past will captivate you too.
