Violence among the Gallinazo: New Insights from Pampa la Cruz, Moche Valley

Summary

The Moche of the North Coast of Peru, are well known for their ritualized culture of violence. Warriors, prisoners, weapon bundles, and sacrifice are commonly depicted in a variety of Moche media, and archaeological evidence from urban centers suggests such acts were practiced. What is not known is if the Early Intermediate Period ancestors of the Moche also engaged in such acts of violence. Pre-Moche, Gallinazo phase urban sites were often located in defensible settings and some show evidence of fortification. However, until now the archaeological record of the Moche Valley has not yielded bioarchaeological evidence of Gallinazo violence. We present the case of a multiple burial recovered from the rural fishing village of Pampa La Cruz, Huanchaco (50 BC/AD100-AD 500). The remains recovered show evidence of severe trauma. These individuals provide us with insight into the practices of violence during this time and allow us to explore the role that violence may have played both in Gallinazo society and in the rise of Moche hegemony.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22031