Ritual Areas in Santa Rosa de Pucalá and Its Implications in Territorial and Sociopolitical Dynamism in Lambayeque Valley, AD 650–950

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Them and Us: Transmission and Cultural Dynamism in the North of Peru between AD 250 and 950: A Vision since the Recent Northern Investigations" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Santa Rosa de Pucalá is a ritual monumental area in Lambayeque Valley. Recent researches show us an increase in ceremonial practices, from 670 CE (Santa Rosa Phase 1), especially human sacrifices, changes in burial patterns, and the arrival of foreign materials (obsidian and Cajamarca and Wari pottery). In Santa Rosa Phase 2 (750 CE), ceremonial architecture keeps local traditions, but Cajamarca and Wari pottery increases, and Mochica style keeps variating. In Santa Rosa Phase 3 (850 CE) occurred a drastic change in ritual areas. A D-shaped Wari structure appears, and Cajamarca pottery has striking decrease. It shows us a short time of Wari predominance, although it is not clear yet. Santa Rosa Phase 4 (900 CE) is remarked by the D-shaped structure destruction. On the other hand, orthogonal architecture, burials with different orientation, and a funerary chamber of an elite woman with Mochica patterns appear. Evidence of ritual areas points to be the main reason to generate territorial dynamism and sociopolitical transformations from mobility of population and the integration phenomenon that occurs in ceremonial activities. I will explore sociopolitical implications in Mochica local elite when Santa Rosa de Pucalá got a religious prestige and became a social interaction focus.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Them and Us: Transmission and Cultural Dynamism in the North of Peru between AD 250 and 950: A Vision since the Recent Northern Investigations   •
• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 33591