{"product_id":"cradle-of-gold-the-story-of-hiram-bingham-a-real-life-indiana-jones-and-the-search-for-machu-picchu-9780230112049","title":"Cradle of Gold: The Story of Hiram Bingham, a Real-Life Indiana Jones, and the Search for Machu Picchu","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe True Story Behind the Discovery of Machu Picchu\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1911, a young Peruvian boy led an American explorer and Yale historian named Hiram Bingham into the ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu. Hidden amidst the breathtaking heights of the Andes, this settlement of temples, tombs and palaces was the Incas' greatest achievement. Tall, handsome, and sure of his destiny, Bingham believed that Machu Picchu was the Incas' final refuge, where they fled the Spanish Conquistadors. Bingham made Machu Picchu famous, and his dispatches from the jungle cast him as the swashbuckling hero romanticized today as a true Indiana Jones-like character. But his excavation of the site raised old specters of conquest and plunder, and met with an indigenous nationalism that changed the course of Peruvian history. Though Bingham successfully realized his dream of bringing Machu Picchu's treasure of skulls, bones and artifacts back to the United States, conflict between Yale and Peru persists through the present day over a simple question: Who owns Inca history?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA Grand Narrative of Peru's Past\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this grand, sweeping narrative, Christopher Heaney takes the reader into the heart of Peru's past to relive the dramatic story of the final years of the Incan empire, the exhilarating recovery of their final cities and the thought-provoking fight over their future. Drawing on original research in untapped archives, Heaney vividly portrays both a stunning landscape and the complex history of a fascinating region that continues to inspire awe and controversy today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout Christopher Heaney\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChristopher Heaney worked as a journalist in Peru on a Fulbright fellowship. He has written articles on Hiram Bingham for the \u003ci\u003eNew Republic\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e. A graduate of Yale University, he is currently a doctoral candidate in Latin American History at the University of Texas, Austin. His expertise in Peruvian history and access to untapped archives brings fresh perspective to this controversial chapter of archaeological history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat Makes This Book Essential Reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis historical account examines the intersection of archaeological discovery, cultural heritage, and the ongoing debate over artifact ownership. The narrative follows Bingham's expeditions through the Peruvian Andes, the political ramifications of his excavations, and the lasting impact on Yale-Peru relations. Readers interested in Incan civilization, early 20th-century exploration, and cultural repatriation debates will find this thoroughly researched account both informative and engaging.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Martin's Griffin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50680523391250,"sku":"9780230112049","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_c9e4bc67-01a1-4f2a-9dc2-fbaf31e94f28.jpg?v=1734922109","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/cradle-of-gold-the-story-of-hiram-bingham-a-real-life-indiana-jones-and-the-search-for-machu-picchu-9780230112049","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}