Researches, Concerning the Institutions and Monuments of the Ancient Inhabitants of America, with Descriptions and Views of Some of the Most Striking Scenes in the Cordilleras!

Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was a respected scientist whose meticulous approach to scientific observation greatly influenced later research. This two volume work, published in French in 1810 and in English translation in 1814, vividly describes his travels in Latin America and the landscapes and indigenous cultures he encountered there.