Gardens of War

Random House. New York. 1968(first edition, first printing). 4to, VIII 185pp. Hardcover in fawn coarse-textured cloth with a dark green embossed profile of two primitive warriors at bottom right of front board with titling in dark green on the firm, tight spine with no scuffing or abrasions anywhere. Pictorial d/w has a frightening scene of running armed warriors and is likewise in excellent condition with no tears or chipping, and is now protected by clear archival covering, like the external cover and d/w , the internal text and photos are as-new, so overall the book is in fine condition. Extraordinary and often frightening colour and b/w photography adorns this fairly amazing book about the Dugum Dani ( a Stone Age tribe of neolithic warrior farmers who live in the Central Highlands of Western New Guinea). At the time the photographs were taken, this tribe was virtually untouched by any forms of modern civilization and the book is the first full photographic record of them. They were practising ritual warfare at the time (that is, warfare which occurred regularly and was considered indispensible and sacred to the society) . In 1961 it was the Harvard University Peabody Museum that mounted the expedition to record their pristine world and the record is such that the great and famous Margaret Mead was co-opted to write a lengthy and important perceptive introduction to the book. An amazing anthropology book in overall fine condition that would be a treasure in almost any library.