Examines both ancient and current agricultural field types and technologies in the Andes and Amazonia.
PART I. FIELDS AND ASSOCIATED FEATURES; 1. Introduction: research on indigenous cultivation in the Americas; 2. Classification of field types; 3. Crops, tools, and soft technology; PART II. AMAZONIAN CULTIVATION; 4. A diversity of Habitats and field systems; 5. Fields of the Mojo, Campa, Bora, Shipibo, and Karinya; 6. Pre-European riverine cultivation; 7. Pre-European forest cultivation; PART III. ANDEAN IRRIGATION AND TERRACING; 8. Irrigated fields; 9. Terraced fields; 10. Terrace and irrigation origins and abandonment in the Colca valley; PART IV. RAISED AND DRAINED FIELDS; 11. Lost systems of cultivation; 12. The Mojos raised fields; 13. The Titicaca raised fields; 14. Ditched fields, drainage canals, and river canalization; PART V. CONCLUSIONS; 15. Implications of indigenous agricultural technology; APPENDICES; 1A Cultivated plants of South America; 1B Roster of cultivated plants by species name
... a detailed academic, yet readable, picture of farming practices in environments ranging from rain forests and mountains to swamps and deserts. British Bulletin of Publications Not only is it a rich source for studying the cultural heritage of indigenous agriculture and a testimony to the author's impressive research contribution; it could and should also be an incentive for continued scholarly activity on a fascinating topic. Christoph Stadel, Mountain Research and Development Vol 25 No 4 Nov 2005