Arts of the Amazon

To the developed world, the destruction of the Amazon rainforest has become an issue of vital concern. The ever-diminishing indigenous tribes inhabiting this vast region of beauty are equally threatened. Yet while the Western passion for folk art continues to thrive, the extraordinary creations of the peoples of the Amazon have until now received little attention. This book is their definitive documentation. A variety of objects both ceremonial and utilitarian are illustrated in over 150 specially commissioned photographs - exotic headresses, feather dance costumes, anteater masks, body ornaments of all kinds, ceramics, basketry and weapons - while the text defines the anthropological significance of each artifact. The objects embody a wealth of natural materials, from iridescent beetle wings and plumage, to animal teeth and woods - surviving expressions of a fragile environment.