Foodways of the Ancient Andes

Foodways of the Ancient Andes, edited by Marta Alfonso-Durruty and Deborah E. Blom, opens a vivid window onto the culinary lifeways that shaped highland South America for millennia. Combining archaeology, ethnography, and environmental science, this compelling volume maps how people in the Andes—across modern Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia—domesticated crops, adapted to extreme altitudes, and built food systems that sustained complex societies.

Richly informative yet accessible, the book explores signature Andean staples—potatoes, quinoa, maize, and tubers—alongside techniques of storage, preparation, and ritual use. Case studies reveal regional diversity and continuity: terraced agriculture on steep slopes, trade in dried foods between coastal and highland communities, and the ecological ingenuity that underpinned resilience in the face of drought and cold.

Scholars and curious readers alike will appreciate the interdisciplinary approach that connects lab-based archaeobotany and isotope analysis to on-the-ground cultural practices. The result is a narrative that not only reconstructs ancient diets but also highlights lessons for contemporary debates on food security, sustainable agriculture, and indigenous knowledge in the Andes.

Whether you are a student of Latin American history, a food historian, a traveler planning to explore Andean regions, or simply fascinated by culinary origins, this authoritative collection provides both depth and readable storytelling. Discover the past tastes and survival strategies of one of the world’s most remarkable mountain cultures—order your copy today and bring the ancient Andes to your bookshelf.

Note: eBooks do not include supplementary materials such as CDs, access codes, etc.