Department of Anthropology, Economics and Political Science
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Browsing Department of Anthropology, Economics and Political Science by Subject "Acari"
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Item Asentamientos fortificados y conflicto en el valle de Acari, Perú(2010) Valdez, Lidio M.Conflict is a universal fact; However, its origins and especially its variability from one region to another remain poorly understood. The objective of this work is to discuss the specific case of the Acarí Valley, on the south coast of Peru, where recent archaeological studies have shown that the early Intermediate period (ca. 50 a.C. - 350 a.C.) was characterized by violence. On the one hand, the archaeological evidence that denotes violence in this valley is manifested through the presence of settlements provided with defensive systems. Because settlements designed for defense did not exist previously in this valley and in the entire south coast, evidence from the Acarí Valley provides an excellent opportunity to visualize the origins of the conflict in this region. On the other hand, the recent discovery in Acarí of dozens of bodies with indisputable signs of being decapitated, confirms that the beginnings of the Early Intermediate period were convulsed. Finally, the evidence from Acarí allows us to maintain that the so-called 'trophy heads' are the direct result of the violent actions in which the residents of the various settlements of this valley participated.Item El centro administrativo Inca de Tambo Viejo(2012) Menzel, Dorothy; Riddell, Francis A.; Valdez, Lidio M.In this article we present the results of the archaeological studies carried out at the Inca administrative center of Tambo Viejo, the only facility of its character built by the Inca in the Acari Valley of the Peruvian south coast region. This study reveals, among others, the architectural complexity of the site and its enormous size. Likewise, this study demonstrates that Tambo Viejo has a long sequence of human occupation that began early in the Early Intermediate period and continued to colonial times. In this paper we evaluate the Inca ocupation of the site, taking into consideration the architecture. This analysis demonstrates that Tambo Viejo was established following an Inca plan; however, the architecture is local, suggesting that the builders of the site were from Acari. This observation allows us to argue that the Inca administration adapted to local construction patterns.Item La cerámica del centro administrativo Inca de Tambo Viejo(2014) Valdez, Lidio M.; Menzel, Dorothy; Riddell, Francis A.In this article we present the results of the analysis of the ceramic assemblage coming from Tambo Viejo, the single most important Inca establishment in the Acari Valley. Among others, this study reveals that at the time of the Inca conquest of Acari, there was a local ceramic style that already received some influence from the valleys found immediately to the north. With the Inca presence, the local style continued receiving northern influences, but also began incorporating new decorative elements, this time of Inca origins. Selected and previously modified Inca designs were incorporated. This evidence indicates that the Inca conquest of Acari did not represent the end of the local style; on the contrary, the local style survived to the point that Inca ceramics are rare in Tambo Viejo. This is more likely the result of the pacific incorporation of Acari to Inca dominium. At the same time, the Inca occupation lasted only for a short period of time and thus did not result in a successful assimilation of the local cultural traits with deeper roots.Item Conflicto y decapitación humana en Amato (valle de Acarí, Perú)(2009) Valdez, Lidio M.In this article I present the results of the recent archaeological excavations carried out at Amato, a site established during the early phases of the Early Intermediate Period (ca. AD 1-350) in the Acari Valley, of the south coast of Peru. The findings consist of several dozen human skeletons, some of which are partially mummified. The main feature of the collection is that the skeletons present unmistakable signs of decapitation. In addition to the absence of the skulls, the upper cervical vertebra present cut marks indicating decapitation. The human remains include individuals of all ages and both sexes. Many of the remains were uncovered with ropes around their wrists and ankles, suggesting that they were treated as captives before their decapitation. Finally, additional information is discussed in this paper in order to argue that the early phases of the Early Intermediate Period were violent. Due to such stress, settlements established in the valley at this time were provided with defensive systems.Item The earliest fortifications of the Peruvian south coast(2014) Valdez, Lidio M.From an archaeological perspective, warfare is a difficult issue to deal with in part due to its variability and in part because its material manifestation is not easily recognizable. However, a growing number of researchers argue that warfare often alters existing settlement patterns and settlements established amidst violence are regularly provided with human-made defensive barriers, named fortifications. Indeed, fortifications have been regarded as one of the most obvious indicators of violent conflict and are archaeologically highly visible. Here I present conclusive evidence to demonstrate that very early during the Early Intermediate Period (ca. 50 B.C.–A.D. 250) the first fortified settlements emerged in the Acari Valley of the Peruvian south-coast region. In addition to the fortifications, the layout of these settlements was carefully designed to obstruct invaders as well as to discourage potential attacks. In contrast to the evidence discussed here, similar evidence has not been reported for the valleys north of Acari, such as the Rio Grande and Ica valleys, in the heartland of the Nasca culture, thus making the Acari Valley the location of the earliest fortified settlements of the entire south-coast region.Item Fortified settlements and the origins of conflict in the Acari Valley, Peru(2012) Valdez, Lidio M.Archaeological research carried out in the Acari Valley of the Peruvian south coast region reveals that the first half of the Early Intermediate Period (ca. 50 BCE – 350 CE) marked the emergence of the first fortified settlements in the valley. Archaeological excavations carried out at one such site resulted in the unprecedented finding of several dozen human remains that exhibited multiple signs of trauma. Such evidence, in conjunction with data on settlement patterns and site configuration, indicate that the first half of the Early Intermediate Period was a time of widespread conflict in the Acari Valley. The magnitude of the violence in which the inhabitants of the various fortified settlements of Acari were involved is manifested not only in the effort invested in building defensive barriers to protect the settlements, but also in capturing prisoners who eventually were decapitated.Item The Nasca and the Valley of Acari: cultural interaction on the Peruvian south coast during the first four centuries A.D.(1998) Valdez, Lidio M.On the basis of the initial studies carried out by D. Menzel and F. A. Riddell in 1954 in the Acari Valley, Peru, and from further visits, J. H. Rowe argued that the Nasca 3 pottery found in Acari "likely" represented a "Nasca invasion." Rowe's hypothesis was never tested, but frequently was cited as evidence of the Nasca invasion/occupation of Acari. This dissertation is aimed at evaluating the above assumption. Since Rowe's model was developed on the basis of pottery found in Acari, the pottery associated with the so-called "Nasca" walled sites of Acari is evaluated. According to this study, early Nasca is not the pottery style common to the Acari sites. Instead, there is an overwhelming presence of a type of pottery which is markedly different from the Nasca style. This style appears to be local and is referred to in this study as Huarato pottery. The presence of settlements distintive from Nasca in Acari strongly suggests that during the first four centuries A.D. the Acari Valley was inhabited by a local cultural tradition. It was into the context of this local culture that a few Nasca ceramics were first introduced, during Nasca phase 2. During Nasca phase 3 the number of Nasca items introduced to Acari increased, but began to decline during Nasca phase 4. Nasca 5 pottery has not been reported from Acari. In addition to securing some Nasca goods, the local inhabitants of Acari imitated early Nasca motifs. While early Nasca art was so rich in themes, only specific ones were emulated in Acari, however. It is of interest to point out that the introduction of the few Nasca goods to Acari took place when the early Nasca ceremonial center of Cahuachi was at its climax. It is possible, then, that the introduced items were brought to Acari by local residents who had made pilgrimage visits to this center. Considering the ideological significance of Cahuachi, it can be argued that the Nasca goods found in Acari perhaps symbolized the prestige of this center and as such likely were owned by specific individuals. If so, these foreign goods must have been regarded as "status insignia." In this regard, on the basis of current information, Rowe's hypothesis cannot be validated.Item Tambo Viejo: un asentamiento fortificado en el valle de Acari, Peru(2013) Valdez, Lidio M.The emergence of violent conflict and of fortified settlements is a subject little studied within Peruvian archaeology. However, I consider it vital to investigate and determine the time and the reasons under which fortified settlements were first established. The central aim of this paper is to discuss when and why fortified settlements emerged first in the Acari Valley and, by extension, in the south coast of Peru. Available archaeological evidence indicates that during the Early Intermediate Period, Tambo Viejo was a fortified settlement protected by several massive walls. Other neighbouring sites in Acari were also fortified. Furthermore, in Acari there is conclusive evidence for violence in the form of decapitated individuals. In contrast to evidence coming from Acari, not a single Early Intermediate Period settlement from other valleys of the Peruvian south coast can be securely identified as fortifications, thus making the Acari sites the earliest fortified settlements of the entire Peruvian south coast.Item Los vecinos de Nasca: entierros de la tradición Huarato del valle de Acarí, Perú(2006) Valdez, Lidio M.In this paper I report results of the recent archaeological research carried out at three Early Intermediate Period sites in the Acari Valley, on the south coast of Peru. Current results indicate that there were at least four different burial types, one of which appears to have been mainly reserved for infants while the other three were used for any member of the society, including infants. With one exception, each mortuary structure was built to house a single individual. Bodies were wrapped in textiles and placed in a seated posture, with the knees flexed towards the chest, the arms placed under the lower limbs and the hands near the genitals or the feet. In addition, body orientation is consistently toward north. Many graves were provided with a roof, while only some received offerings. These differences had nothing to do with age or sex, however. The mortuary customs discussed in this paper differ significantly from Nasca burial practices; for instance, Nasca goods are not among burial offerings. Such notable variations testify that Nasca and Huarato were different cultural traditions.