Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Archaeology of the Norte Chico Site

Field Museum Of Natural History, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Under the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Haas, Matthew Piscitelli will excavate a series of small-scale temples at the Late Archaic (3,000-1,800 B.C.) site of Huaricanga in the Fortaleza Valley, Peru to explore variation in religious practices in the evolving complex polities on the Peruvian coast. The study of ancient religions presents unique challenges to the archaeologist. In the absence of writing, religious ideas tend to be expressed only indirectly and symbolically. Those indirect and symbolic manifestations of religion can also be difficult, even impossible to accurately interpret. However, in the emergence of the earliest complex societies in Andean South America, the ceremonial behavior associated with religion is broadly manifested in two very different architectural complexes: monumental, public platform mounds and associated circular courts and much smaller scale, private temple complexes. During the Late Archaic Period, the first sedentary agricultural communities developed along the north central coast of Peru, where inhabitants constructed the earliest monumental architecture in the New World. In addition, recent preliminary excavations at Huaricanga suggest the presence of much smaller scale temple structures that bear many similarities to a particular type of ceremonial architecture found exclusively in the Andean highlands known as Mito temples. The presence of a Mito temple on the coast would challenge a 40-year-old understanding of the Mito Tradition and its associated rituals. Mr. Piscitelli will apply innovative techniques such as pollen analysis, micromorphology, and X-Ray Fluorescence to reconstruct ancient ritual practices. Furthermore, this project's thorough radiocarbon dating program will situate these small-scale temples at Huaricanga within a regional chronological context. This research will clarify cultural connections between coastal and highland Peru during the Late Archaic Period by looking at the nature and chronology of possible Mito temples on the coast. Such comparisons will explore an instance of ancient social interaction on a regional scale within the context of the prehistoric Andes. The data collected from this fieldwork will also enhance understanding of ceremonial activities beyond the large platform mounds and sunken circular courts that have previously garnered much attention. In addition, this research will test models concerning the development of social inequality within emergent complex polities. Through a better understanding of ritual practices we can investigate how early leaders negotiated the social milieu through ritual performance and, as a result, we can develop theoretical models relating religion and society. The project will have a positive impact on the community surrounding Huaricanga. Team members will distribute written information to the town such as site maps and annual reports published in Spanish. The project is expected to yield employment opportunities for the local community since workmen will be hired to assist in excavation and the initial processing of artifacts. "Community" days at the site and school tours will stimulate interest in the local cultural heritage and raise awareness about contemporary issues that are particularly salient in Peru such as looting. The project will also continue the tradition of strong collaboration between Peruvian and American scholars. In addition, thesis and publication opportunities will also be available to project members and collaborators while the research will allow Mr. Piscitelli to fulfill the requirements of his Ph.D. dissertation.