Wari D-Temples: Inferring Function from Shape, Distribution, and Orientation

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Almost 100 Years since Julio C. Tello: Research at Huaca del Loro, Nasca, Peru" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Emerging evidence increasingly suggests that D-shaped structures were a tool of Wari imperial and cultural expansion throughout the Middle Horizon landscape. Analysis of their construction, geographic distribution, regional context, and specific orientations reveals that their use and purpose was not monolithic, and that researchers should not view them as such. The D-shape itself appears to have been significant, yet structures that incorporate it were varied in their use and included functions such as temples, huacas, mausoleums, administrative centers, and observatories. The pattern of their geographic distribution and prevailing use-types in areas beyond the Wari homeland in the Ayacucho Valley infers a deliberate imperial project predicated on securing access to resources while enculturating and incorporating local populations.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Almost 100 Years since Julio C. Tello: Research at Huaca del Loro, Nasca, Peru   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36074.0