Integrated Archaeometric and Spatial Analysis: A Preliminary Report on Spatial Data Mining in the pre-Hispanic Central Andes of Peru

Summary

The Gallinazo and Mochica of northern coastal Peru lived side-by-side for centuries. However, the nature of their social interrelationships (one or two ethnic or social groups) is a continuing topic of debate as such complexity is one of the hallmarks of pre-Hispanic central Andean civilization. How can meaningful dimensions of social differentiation and complex social interrelationships be elucidated through archaeological investigation? To answer this question, we present our integrated archaeometric and spatial analytical approach for studying Gallinazo-Mochica coexistence and social differentiation. Mixed-type data from various sources (GPS, pXRF, low-resolution microscopic, and unaided visual inspection, etc.) recorded during two short laboratory sessions in 2013 and 2014, and initial site surveys in 2010, were used in conjunction with various data mining techniques to identify meaningful patterns and establish association rules that will guide upcoming dissertation fieldwork. As this preliminary work shows, we have moved one step closer toward resolving critical debates by integrating high-powered tools used in geospatial and archaeometric analyses. As a means for eliciting broader nuances of social differentiation, the analytical power of such a combined approach is useful for researchers working in and out of the Andes.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage