The charms and amulets presented in this book offer a unique opportunity to explore the way people in Pre-Columbian Ecuador interpreted their lives. The choice of material--metals, shells, fired clay, gold--reflect different meanings and religious ideas. Taken alone every artifact tells a story; in concert they construct a narrative about the people who made them, revealing beliefs about fertility and death, marriage, and the origins of the universe. Stunning photos of these artifacts, accompanied by a text examining their meanings, provide an intriguing introduction to an ancient world.