Initial Period Irrigation-based Societies in the Viru Valley, Peru

Summary

Radiocarbon dates from the sites of V-198 and Huaca El Gallo/La Gallina in the Viru Valley of Peru illustrate that the transition inland from the coast and the construction of monumental corporate architecture based on irrigation agriculture was not unique to the Supe Valle area along the Andean coastline. A second instance has been identified in Viru where it is also associated with the use of ceramics as early as 3950 years before present (2450 calibrated years B.C.). This pushes back the introduction of ceramics in Peru some 600 years and conflicts with the Maritime Foundation for Civilization Hypothesis. Patterns of intervisibility among sites suggest a complex valley-wide water management system evolved with the development of irrigation agriculture as the population dispersed down valley.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Social Complexity in the Central Andean Region: Current Research on the Initial Period and Early Horizon - Part 1

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