Sourcing the Obsidian from Campanayuq Rumi: Implications for Understanding Chavín Interaction

Summary

Campanayuq Rumi is a large civic-ceremonial center located near Ayacucho in the south-central highlands of Peru. Dating to the late Initial Period (1100-800 BC) and Early Horizon (800-300 BC), Campanayuq Rumi is notable for its close association with the Chavín sphere of interaction. In particular, the site has been considered significant because of its geographical proximity to Quispisisa, the most important obsidian source during the early first millennium BC. Recent excavations at Campanayuq Rumi recovered large quantities of obsidian in temple, offering, and residential contexts. In 2014, pXRF was utilized to chemically source a sample of 394 obsidian artifacts. This analysis demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of the obsidian comes from the Quispisisa source. The pXRF data coupled with excavations of a probable lithic workshop lead us to conclude that Campanayuq Rumi was the locus of processing and eventual circulation of obsidian to other locations in highland and coastal Peru during the Early Horizon.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Global Perspectives on Lithic Technologies in Complex Societies

Keywords

Spatial Coverage