"In this book Arnold and Hastorf investigate Andean cultural practices involving human heads, pursuing a theoretical approach that grounds such practices in the development of leadership, individual and group status, and sociopolitical complexity...this is a theoretically interesting stance and a creative collaboration between an ethnographer and an archaeologist."
- R. Alan Covey, Journal of Anthropological Research
"
Heads of State provides the most straightforward example of the distinctions inherent in Andean archaeology...it establishes an unambiguous link between, on the one hand, an archaeological record that offers abundant evidence, at least in certain periods and places, of both trophy heads and ancestor veneration; and on the other, the recent ethnography of such practices by some societies...Arnold and Hastorf have produced a book that will stimulate much fresh thinking and debate."
- David Beresford-Jones, Antiquity
"Overall, this text engages well with recent treatises about the political and social aspects of warfare and heads in the Andean region...The authors deftly weave together ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological information to create a more nuanced history of Andean headtaking, one in which the use of heads was politically manipulated."
- Corina M. Kellner, Current Anthropology
"...if discussions and debate are generated from the ideas proposed in this book, I think Arnold and Hastorf will be satisfied. They recognize that some of their ideas are controversial, and in their conclusion they encourage others to elaborate on the models they propose."
- John W. Verano, American Anthropologist
" The human head or skull has a long history of use and representation in many regions of ancient South America, and thus the provocative
Heads of State volume is a welcome addition to the growing literature on the socio-political roles of human body parts. "
- Erica Hill, Cambridge Archaeological Journal
"
Heads of State is provocative…this book is well worth reading because it provides a new perspective on the foundations of Andean political economy. Arnold and Hastorf have rescued the head from its banishment into the ritual realm by archaeologists and show its associated powers were central to the political process. We should all be grateful. "
- Justin Jennings, Latin American Studies
"The basic content and premise of the book are interesting in that the authors attempt to synthesise multiple elements in order to create a diachronic model for the prolonged use of heads in the Andes. The ethnographic information is wonderfully in-depth and the inclusion of a multi-lingual glossary was a thoughtful addition for those unfamiliar with the languages in use in the area."
- Leigh Stork, Archaeological Review from Cambridge
"One of the many ways in which Denise Arnold and Christine Hastorf’s new book
Heads of State can be read is as a novel intervention in the complex methodological interface where Andean archaeology meets ethnography and ethnohistory. To my knowledge,
Heads is the first major monograph on an Andean topic to be co-written by an ethnographer and an archaeologist. As such, its implications extend beyond the more specific topic the book seeks to address… In short, there is no lack of novel ideas presented in Heads of State. Read the complete review at:
http://traumwerk.stanford.edu/archaeolog/2009/01/ review_heads_of_state_icons_po.html"
- Parker VanValkenburgh, Archaeolog
"In a fascinating study, Arnold and Hastorf address a perduring problem in anthropological theory--the institutionalization of social inequality and the centralization of political and economic power. They innovatively explore this issue through a detailed analysis of the ritual procurement, exchange, and curation of heads in both prehistoric and contemporary Andean polities. This should appeal to scholars of Andean studies and serve as an important resource for students interested in the anthropology of warfare, violence, sacrifice, and political economy.
Summing Up: Highly recommended. "
- E. R. Swenson, University of Toronto, CHOICE