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Pre-columbian art, architecture, and history: Start Your Research Here

Links and resources for research on pre-columbian art and architecture; art history, anthropology, and other disciplinary approaches

Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

Need to select a research topic or find background information?  

The Reference Collection includes a variety of different sources, such as: subject-focused encyclopedias, handbooks, almanacs, maps/atlases, statistical compendiums, dictionaries, and more. Look here to find introductory articles on subject-related topics. The broad perspective offered by such articles often proves helpful for narrowing research topics before pursuing more in-depth information. 

This guide provides some recommendations for encyclopedias and other reference resources that might provide helpful information relating to your topic.

Recommended Online Encyclopedia Databases

Working from off campus? If so, you will need to log in with your Kean Google username and password.

On campus, Google Scholar will show all accessible journal content from the Kean University library databases. See: scholar.google.com.

Pre-Columbian history is a huge discipline. Once you have narrowed down your search to the primary region (Mesoamerica, the Andean Region, or North America), you'll have better luck looking at the tabs for websites for specific information by culture.

Recommended Image Databases

Working from off campus? If so, you will need to log in with your Kean Google username and password.

Recommended Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

The following encyclopedias and dictionaries are recommended for research relating to Art History. Books with a Call Number beginning with the letters "Ref" are shelved in alphanumeric order by call number in the Reference Collection on the first floor of the Kean University Library. Books with the designation "Electronic Resource" are e-books, which are accessible by clicking the hyperlinked title.