Peering into the Night: Transition, Sociopolitical Organization, and Economic Dynamics after the Dusk of Chavín in the North Central Andes

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Peering into the Night: Transition, Sociopolitical Organization, and Economic Dynamics after the Dusk of Chavín in the North Central Andes" at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Historically regarded as the hallmark of the Early Horizon, traces of Chavín influence have been observed throughout the Central Andes. However, the Chavín Interaction Sphere spanned both regionally and temporally: echoes and consequences of Chavín influence reverberate in subsequent cultural traditions. During and after this dusk of Chavín, it is clear many parts of the Central Andes were going through states of transformation or reformation. This session synthesizes recent work addressing the period after Chavín and leading up to the Early Intermediate period, 500/400–200/50 BCE. While these general trends do exist, it is apparent the immediate post-Chavín Central Andean landscape otherwise shows substantial regional variability. General trends from this time period emerge, such as the proliferation of fortifications and widespread social violence; emergence and consolidation of social hierarchies; metallurgy as a craft beyond gold; changes in food patterns, especially on the Pacific coast; and extensive interzonal trade and exchange networks. Papers tease apart potential commonalities and differences observed during this time period, while deliberating on the causes and consequences of the patterns observed in this transitional period with implications for preceding, contemporary, and/or future traditions—contributing to broader anthropological and historical theories exploring transitions, “collapse,” and “moments between.”