Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Examining an Ancient Urban Residential District; Excavations at Sector B, El Purgatorio, Peru

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Under the direction of Dr. Alan Kolata, Mr. David Pacifico will investigate social diversity in a residential district in the pre-Columbian city of El Purgatorio through archaeological excavations in ancient houses and other neighborhood structures. El Purgatorio is located on the north-central coast of Peru and was the capital city of the Casma culture from approximately AD 700 to AD 1400. As the largest archaeological site in its region during this time, El Purgatorio is notable for its monumental adobe buildings and its expansive residential sector. Archaeological research on ancient Andean cities has typically focused on monumental districts associated with elite tombs, temples and palaces. However, this provides only a partial view of ancient cities and their populations. By analyzing the residences and possessions of commoners Mr. Pacifico will provide an alternative perspective, revealing the way politics, economics, and rituals were materialized in the everyday lives of ordinary people at the site. While the residential districts of many prehistoric Andean cities have been destroyed by looting, farming, or erosion, El Purgatorio's well-preserved residential sector provides an ideal opportunity for investigating the nature and role of commoners in prehistoric cities. This research addresses several important questions about pre-Columbian urbanism. For example, were ancient cities characterized by social diversity? If so, what was the nature of that diversity? How did residents of ancient cities relate to each other and interact with one another? Because El Purgatorio and the Casma culture have only recently become the focus of intensive archaeological investigations, Mr. Pacifico's project will illuminate many important elements of daily life at El Purgatorio, including production activities, dietary choices, resource exploitation, and ritual practices. During two previous field seasons Mr. Pacifico classified the architecture in the study area, which ranged from small stone houses to sprawling residential compounds. In order to examine social diversity, excavations will sample each type of architecture and the ceramic, organic, and other remains from each architectural type will be compared. Neighborhood layout and artifact distribution will be analyzed in order to understand how diversity was mapped onto the ancient neighborhood's landscape. Finally, data from the study area will be compared with materials collected elsewhere at El Purgatorio in order to examine the relationship between the study area's residents and those living in other parts of the city. As a case study of domestic life in an ancient city the results of these analyses will contribute significantly to our understanding of El Purgatorio and the Casma culture. More broadly, it will enrich our understanding of how the political and economic power represented by monumental architecture was materialized, modified, or rejected in the everyday lives of ordinary people. By studying diversity in an ancient urban neighborhood, this project will articulate with wider dialogues about the nature of urban neighborhoods and residential districts through time. This project is designed to have an impact within and beyond the academy. It promotes international collaboration and provides an opportunity for hands-on learning of archaeological techniques by employing American students, Peruvian laborers, and archaeologists from both countries. Additionally, in conjunction with local educational institutions, Mr. Pacifico will give periodic presentations to non-archaeologists about the area's prehistory, archaeological science, and the importance of conserving cultural patrimony.