Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Minaspata Archaeological Project: Wari Colonialism in the Lucre Basin, Cuzco, Peru

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Under the guidance of Dr. Clark Erickson, Thomas Hardy will direct excavations at the archaeological site of Minaspata, located in the Lucre Basin near Cuzco, Peru. Minaspata is relevant to understanding the long-term rise of social and political complexity in the Cuzco region, eventually culminating in the rise of the Inca Empire (AD 1400-1532), but of particular importance is the period from AD 600-1000. Known as the Middle Horizon in Peru, this period is marked by the pan-regional dominance of the Wari state, located several hundred miles to the west in the modern city of Ayacucho. The Wari state expanded outward slightly before AD 600, likely conquering several regions in south-central Peru and establishing colonies throughout these annexed territories. However, without the aid of a writing system, relatively little is known about the political structure of this colonizing state, or about the social and cultural effects Wari domination had on local populations - in part, because few local Middle Horizon sites have been studied in peripheral Wari regions. Minaspata provides an ideal opportunity to examine the effects of colonization in more detail, as the site was occupied from as early as 800 BC until the end of the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in AD 1532. Mr. Hardy's research will employ recent theoretical advancements and high-tech methodologies to examine the social and cultural transformations which occurred at Minaspata as a result of Wari colonization, which will in turn shed light on the colonial strategies which pre-Columbian complex polities employed to establish and maintain sovereignty. Archaeological research in the Cuzco area has revealed a highly intensive Wari presence particularly in the Lucre Basin. The most notable sign of this investment is the massive site of Pikillacta, located 1 kilometer from Minaspata, which is the largest Wari site in Peru outside of the capital city itself. Limited excavations at Minaspata in the 1960's suggested that the site maintained a local character during the Middle Horizon, which would contradict assumptions archaeologists have made regarding the nature of the Wari state in the Cuzco area. A useful concept which Mr. Hardy will employ is that of cultural hybridity, which can be used to examine the degrees to which local populations adopted various Wari social and cultural practices into their lives. This can be determined by analyzing archaeological remains recovered in excavations, such as the production and design of tools and crafts (particularly ceramics), transformations in architectural construction and layout, shifts in food production and consumption practices, and changes in ritual and mortuary practices. The results will have larger implications for understanding of colonialism, both modern and ancient. This research will seek to have broader impacts beyond these topics presented. Mr. Hardy will use these investigations for his dissertation, and will seek to build on the data in future field seasons. The project will also involve student archaeologists from the United States as well as from Peru, promoting international cooperation between future scholars, as well as providing experience to aspiring archaeologists from a variety of backgrounds. The results of this project will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications in both the U.S. and in South America, and the raw data will be made available for public use online. Finally, the project will involve analyses made at laboratories in Peru and in the U.S., promoting the integration of scientific techniques with more humanistic anthropological and archaeological theory.