Melissa Vogel's book on El Purgatorio, an ancient city on the north coast of Peru, is part of a University Press of Florida series, Ancient Cities of the New World, about ancient urban sites of Mesoamerica and South America. It is exciting to see the capital of the Casma included in a series with Aztec, Inca, and Maya cities because until recently this civilization was virtually unknown. It is primarily through Vogel's research that the Casma state has been identified and studied. The book details a decade of research at the site and addresses broader issues of urbanism and sociopolitical transformations. At the core of the research is the hypothesis that during the latter half of the first millennium AD in the Andean coastal regions, a fundamental shift occurred, away from elites using public ritual on large platform mounds to assert their power and connection to the supernatural, toward new types of cities with walled enclosures where elites engaged in exclusive activities that furthered economic interests and territorial expansion. Vogel terms this a “hegemonic transition,” which entailed a change from religious-based governing strategies to ones that were more bureaucratic and centralized, and the study details how El Purgatorio is an example of this transition. This transformation is well documented by many researchers, but Vogel provides a new and insightful way of looking at this key transition.

The book has nine chapters, beginning with chapter 1, an examination of urbanism in ancient America. In this chapter, debates over urbanism in ancient societies, and the uniqueness of Andean cities are discussed. It also includes a description of the research plan at El Purgatorio, which involved survey, mapping, excavation, and lab analyses. Chapter 2 is an overview of late prehistory in the Andean region, which is not a comprehensive history but instead is aimed at readers unfamiliar with the region or those who want an update. This is a productive approach and helps make the book accessible to different audiences. A focus of the chapter is the architectural tradition on the north coast and how it changed over time. Platform mounds were dominant until late Moche (AD 550–800) when high-walled compounds became more common. Some civilizations, in particular the Lambayeque, maintained the platform mound tradition, while the Chimú and the Casma did not. This hegemonic transition was a shift from public, theatrical ritual led by religious leaders to exclusive events (such as feasts) in which religion was less important. In assessing why this change occurred, Vogel stresses that the walled compounds are a local tradition dating back to the Early Horizon, becoming monumental in the Middle Horizon. However, it is hard not to contemplate the possible relationship between the spread of the Wari state, whose hallmark was large, enclosed compound architecture, and the preference for this architecture. While compound architecture is found in the region previously, just as it is in many areas, it is not until Wari and the Middle Horizon that it becomes larger, more impressive, and associated with elites. Vogel does discuss in later chapters that Wari, and the increased trade and interaction in the Middle Horizon, contributed to the rise of the Casma state.

Chapter 3 is a summary of research in the Casma Valley and an introduction to El Purgatorio. Occupied from approximately AD 700–1350, the city had a population of 40,000 or more. Chapter 4 contains the largest amount of data and focuses on the built environment with a detailed description of four different sectors (A-D) and associated architecture. Sector A included ritual and administrative buildings and elite residences, Sectors B and D contained commoner architecture, and Sector C was the home of intermediate elites. Vogel categorizes the type of construction (case and fill) as having a “quick and dirty” quality that is expedient and produces a similar effect as solid adobe but is less labor intensive. Evidence of urban planning is documented, including coordination among buildings and spaces, especially in Sector A, and different levels of meaning in the built environment linked to social stratification and sacred qualities.

Chapter 5 covers religion and ritual, with a large section on ritual architecture that is, in places, repetitive from previous chapters. Vogel makes an interesting comparison with Egyptian temples that have several gathering areas from large plazas to small rooms used only by the highest officials and rulers. Here and at El Purgatorio, “rather than appealing to the masses, there was an exclusion of the masses” (p. 40). In Chapter 6 the urban economy is discussed, and Vogel points out the uniqueness of the political economies of Andean cities where exchange was focused on tribute, reciprocity, and redistribution. She concludes that both elite supervised workshops and household production existed in the city. Chapter 7 concentrates on the identities of the urban residents. Social stratification was correlated with residential districts that consisted of ruling elites, intermediate elites, and commoners.

Chapter 8 examines El Purgatorio's relationships with other regions. Vogel emphasizes cross-cultural interaction with Andean groups including Pachacamac, Chancay, Wari, Chimú, and Lambayeque. She makes some comparisons with West Mexico's shaft tomb complex, which has some similarities with north coast Andean cultures, although the evidence seems fairly weak. Chapter 9 sums up the research and discusses its broader implications. Vogel compares Casma to the Indus civilization, a corporate state with an elite ruling class but no individual glorification or theatrical displays of power. She concludes that the research supports Stanish's (2010) idea that Andean cites were small because they had limited market exchange, and their economies were under the control of elites, and often did not survive leadership changes.

One strength of the book is that Vogel makes comparisons with other ancient states while also highlighting the unique nature of El Purgatorio. The book is part of a series of accessible studies of urbanism that complement introductory textbooks. However, it seems advanced for introductory students and may be more appropriate in an upper division course. In its appeal to a wider audience it is not as data heavy as many academic books, but overall, it is well-written and argued, and makes a substantial contribution to the study of ancient civilizations.