Temples of the Earthbound Gods: Stadiums in the Cultural Landscapes of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires

by Christopher Thomas Gaffney

In Rio de Janeiro, the spiritual home of world football, and Buenos Aires, where a popular soccer club president was recently elected mayor, the game is an integral part of national identity. Using the football stadium as an illuminating cultural lens, Temples of the Earthbound Gods examines many aspects of urban culture that play out within these monumental architectural forms, including spirituality, violence, rigid social norms, anarchy, and also expressions of sexuality and gender. Tracing the history of the game in Brazil and Argentina through colonial influences as well as indigenous ball courts in Mayan, Aztec, Zapotec, Mixtec, and Olmec societies, Christopher Gaffney's study spans both ancient and contemporary worlds, linking the development of stadiums to urbanization and the consolidation of nation building in two of Latin America's most intriguing megacities.

Genres: Sports, Urban Planning

285 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2008

Reviews

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely not a light read as there's a lot of ideas packed in here, but if you're interested in soccer, urban Latin American culture and their impact on each others development, then you'll find this fascinating. Highly recommended for those that like looking at the social/cultural aspect of sport.