Doctoral Dissertation Research: Identity and Conquest: Population History of the Chachapoyas from Northern Perú

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Investigators

Abstract

Under the direction of Dr. Jane E. Buikstra, Mr. Kenneth Nystrom will complete the data collection necessary to finish his doctoral dissertation. His research involves the generation of skeletal data from several samples from throughout the Chachapoyas regions of northern Peru. With the growing exposure and knowledge of the Chachapoyas region, fundamental questions concerning the population history of the inhabitants of the area can begin to be addressed. Sparked by the discovery of the Laguna de los Condores, this research seeks to understand the growth and development of the people that came to be known as the Chachapoyas. Working under the assumption that biological interactions reflect social interactions, morphological characteristics of the skeleton can be used to discuss changes in population structure and cultural processes. The Relethford-Blangero model of within-group heterogeneity quantifies the presence of gene flow from an external source, allowing discussion of cultural and biological consequences of conquest. Further, with the inclusion of both ethnohistorical and archaeological data, it will be possible to discuss the development of Chachapoyas identity, both before and after their subjugation by the Inka. At a broader scale, one of anthropology's primary goals is the study of how groups of people interact, not only with other groups, but also with the natural and supernatural worlds that surround them. This research addresses fundamental concepts concerning the expression of group identity within the archaeological record. Previous archaeological research has concentrated upon the distribution of material artifacts to distinguish between cultures and to characterize the contact and articulation between groups. With the growing interest in pursuing the issue of ethnicity from a bioarchaeological perspective, a more nuanced discussion of the archaeological examination of ethnicity is possible.