The Chicama Valley Archaeological Project (1989-2000) Revisited

Summary

Between 1989 and 2000, the Chicama Valley Archaeological Project, lead by Glenn S. Russell, Banks Leonard and Christopher Attarian, conducted archaeological survey and excavations in the lower Chicama Valley. This presentation will focus on a broad summary of settlement pattern change with reference to key excavation data that informs interpretation of the survey data. A focus will be how sociopolitical complexity developed in the context of control of irrigation systems. Approximately 25% of the lower valley was surveyed, resulting in the recording of over 200 archaeological sites and features. Key settlement pattern changes discussed include the emergence of defensive settlement in the Late Intermediate Period, the shift to the site of Mocollope as a primary valley floor monumental site by Gallinazo through Moche occupation, and the emergence of a major polity in the lower valley during the pre-Chimu period as evidenced by a cluster of several of the largest Huacas constructed in the valley.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Landscapes of Change: Integrated Socio-ecological Histories in the Chicama Valley, Peru

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 14517