About This Book
An archaeological and comparative study of the cross as a recurring symbol among indigenous peoples of the Americas, tracing its occurrences on pottery, monuments, and ritual objects and weighing whether it arose independently or spread through migration and contact. The author surveys colonial testimonies, mythic associations, and ritual practices that link the cross to rainmaking, atmospheric deities, funerary rites, and cosmological motifs, and compares American cross forms with other widespread symbols like spirals and meanders. Drawing on material evidence and ethnographic parallels, the book argues for patterns of diffusion alongside local adaptation, and outlines regional variations and interpretive possibilities.