We are pleased to present this exhibition of pre-Columbian artifacts from the collection of the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature, University of Richmond Museums. The term “pre-Columbian” refers to the time before the arrival of Columbus in the Americas and to the aboriginal cultures that evolved as early as 7000 b.c.e. in an area reaching from the Southwestern United States through Central America and along the Andes on the Western coast of South America. The arrival of Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century largely signaled the decline of these cultures.

The exhibition was co-curated by N. Elizabeth Schlatter, Assistant Director, University Museums; Sandra Higgins, Collections Manager, University Museums; and Olivia Kohler (AW’03), senior art history major and one of the University Museums’ 2002 summer fellows. Appreciation is extended to James Farmer for his assistance. We thank the donors who gave us these wonderful objects to the permanent collection. The exhibition is made possible in part with the generous support of the University’s Cultural Affairs Committee.

Richard Waller
Executive Director
University of Richmond Museums