Wari Imperial Presence in Cajamarca: A view from Yamobamba

Summary

The Wari empire built at least two main centers in the Cajamarca region as part of its expansion to different regions of the Central Andes. One of them, Yamobamba, 25 km southeast on the road to Huamachuco, presents an architectural pattern that corresponds to Wari canons, including square patios, narrow corridors, and peripheral galleries. In particular, its distribution, size, and orientation show a strong resemblance to Jincamocco (Ayacucho), almost 900 km away.

Recent research at Yamobamba confirmed the layout and distribution of most of the preserved structures, and defined a room at the center of the site that probably served as a point of access to the subdivided half of the enclosure. However, the associated materials suggest that while the site was built during the Middle Horizon, it was only briefly occupied. This paper presents the results of two seasons of work at Yamobamba, and examines its place in the imperial network, considering its architectural features, location, and evidence of activities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Continuity and Change in the Peruvian North Highlands: Current Research in the Cajamarca Region

Keywords

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