The Temple Of The Andes

The Temple of the Andes is a book written by Richard Inwards about the ruins of Tiwanaku. It was written in 1884 and is contemporaneous with the work that was being done by E.G. Squier. The book describes the structures that Inwards observed and provides current thinking about their possible purpose and original characteristics. It also offers remarks on the local people and culture of the present day.

Richard Inwards (1840-1937) won renown as the author of the highly popular Weather Lore (also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection). For many years he worked as a mine manager, and in 1866, while working in Bolivia, he visited the site of Tiwanaku. Although the ruins of this once great city were first described by the conquistadores, it was not until the nineteenth century, with the development of more rigorous archaeological methods, that the site began to be more fully studied. Although published in 1884, this brief account is based on Inwards' 1866 visit, and so is contemporaneous with the work there by E. G. Squier. Pre-dating many of the earliest studies, the book is well illustrated with sketches and plans. The text describes the structures that Inwards observed, provides current thinking as to their possible purpose and original characteristics, and also offers remarks on the local people and culture of the present day.