Objects of Empire

A tremendous book. Bray excavates countless important artifacts from the depths of museum collections and masterfully pieces them together to yield a much more detailed and nuanced understanding of Inca vessels. This accomplished book will undoubtedly define both studies of Inca ceramic production and the impact of Inca imperialism on artistic traditions for years to come. Andrew James Hamilton, Art Institute of Chicago and University of Chicago, author of The Royal Inca Tunic: A Biography of an Andean Masterpiece

Bray has produced an insightful book on Inca pottery and the role it played in the semiotics of imperial power. This beautifully illustrated book offers a comprehensive examination of the importance of Inca ceramic assemblages in statecraft, daily life, and the materiality of social practices. It will be an invaluable contribution to Andean studies and the archaeology of ancient empires. Sonia Alconini, University of Virginia, author of Southeastern Inka Frontiers: Boundaries and Interaction

Objects of Empire explores the role of ceramics in the culinary activities and politics of the Inca Empire. Bray’s synthesis of earlier work and innovative new research investigates how and why the forms and decoration of this pottery played such a significant role within Inca statecraft, including regional variations in Inca pottery. This extensive introduction to Inca pottery has a wealth of illustrations and descriptions that will become a useful reference point for people wishing to research Inca pottery in the future. Bill Sillar, University College London, author of Shaping Culture: Making Pots and Constructing Households