Edited by Takeshi Inomata and Lawrence S. Coben - Contributions by John Baines; Ian Hodder; Stephen D. Houston; Susan Kus; Jerry D. Moore; Victor Raharijaona; Adam T. Smith and Daniela Triadan

Collection of original articles exploring theatricality in the ancient world and how it affected social life and politics.

Part 1 Prologue Chapter 2 Prologue: Behind the Scenes: Producing the Performance Part 3 Act I: Concepts and Approaches Chapter 4 Scene 1: Overture: An Invitation to the Archaeological Theater Part 5 Act II: Senses, Spectacle, and Performance Chapter 6 Scene 2: "The Indians Were Much Given to Their Taquis": Drumming and Generative Categories in Ancient Andean Funerary Processions Chapter 7 Scene 3: The Spectacle of Daily Performance at Çatalhöyük Chapter 8 Scene 4: Representational Aesthetics and Political Subjectivity: The Spectacular in Urartian Images of Performance Chapter 9 Scene 5: Impersonation, Dance, and the Problem of Spectacle among the Classic Maya Part 10 Act III: Public Performance of Power and Community Chapter 11 Scene 6: Dancing Gods: Ritual, Performance, and Political Organization in the Prehistoric Southwest Chapter 12 Scene 7: Politics and Theatricality in Mayan Society Chapter 13 Scene 8: Other Cuzcos: Replicated Theaters of Inka Power Chapter 14 Scene 9: Public Ceremonial Performance in Ancient Egypt: Exclusion and Integration Chapter 15 Scene 10: Visible and Vocal: Sovereigns of the Early Merina (Madagascar) State Chapter 16 Index Chapter 17 About the Contributors