Welcome to the web site of Lawrence S. Coben ("Larry"), an archaeologist affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania and chairman of the Archaeological Institute of America's Site Preservation Task Force. My present interests include the Inka empire, which rapidly expanded through South America during the 15th and 16th centuries, and the archaeology of ancient performance. I am also interested in the relationship among belief, ideology and economic behavior-the behaviorial economics of premodern peoples.

I am presently director of a multidisciplinary project at the monumental Inka site of Inkallakta (Incallacta, Incallajta or Inkallajta, see photo left), located near Cochabamba, Bolivia. This joint project of the University of Pennsylvania and the Universidad Mayor de San Simon, explores the nature of the expansion and the cosmological and ideological underpinnings of the Inka empire, and the role of performance, theatricality and spectacle therein. More information on this project can be found by clicking the Incallajta & Carabaya page of this website or by clicking fProyecto Inkallakta. I have examined these themes previously at other locations.

This emerging field of the archaeology of performance, which studies the role of theatricality and spectacle in ancient societies, is a central focus of my work. I am co-editor, with Dr. Takeshi Inomata of the University of Arizona, of a volume entitled "Archaeology of Performance: Theater, Power and Community", recently released by Altamira Press . The volume will examine the nature and political implications of theatrical and ceremonial performance at public events in these societies, and features contributions by several eminent archaeologists.  For more on this subject click Archaeology of Performance

I utilize digital reconstructions and virtual reality to assist in this study of performance.  This is a digital reconstruction of Incallajta's monumental core (near left) and that core as it looks today (far left)

At left is a reconstruction the interior of the site's largest structure, the kallanka.  The kallanka as it appears today can be seen at Incallajta & Carabaya. page of this website.

A reconstruction of the site of Incallajta and its topography.

My new Archaeology of Performance volume is now out!!!  Click here for details.

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If you are looking for brother Harlan's bestsellers, congratulations on reading this far!  Click www.harlancoben.com.  If you want to read more about the AIA Site Preservation Task Force, click here  And if you want to read about America's energy future, click here to go to my blog Energizing America