Hilltops and Libations: A New Pattern of Recuay Ritual Space and Practice in the Northern Callejon de Huaylas Valley, Peru

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeological studies of ancient hilltop constructions across Peru have revealed how ancient Andean people, often during the so-called “intermediate periods,” protected and defended their village spaces in times of interregional warfare and political balkanization. In the north-central highlands of Ancash, Peru, numerous studies have revealed that the Early Intermediate period Recuay (100–700 CE) created heavily fortified hilltop settlements with large perimeter walls, moats, and high visibility to ward off incoming threats; both domestic and civic-ceremonial activities occurred in these agglutinated, fortified spaces. Our survey in the northern Callejón de Huaylas valley of Ancash, Peru, has nonetheless revealed several rectangular platforms and nondomestic spaces in the most defensible locations, which suggests mountain prominences also played other kinds of roles in Recuay society. In-depth analyses of surface ceramics and drone-based mapping from one of these sites called Ushnucorral identified a large rectangular hilltop platform (35 × 40 m, ~3.5 m high) that was used for intensive Recuay feasting and ritual libations. Together, these data point to an intriguing new pattern of hilltop practices whereby the Recuay constructed ritual spaces, rather than walled house complexes, in the most defensible locations to perform highly visible, large-scale ceremonies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37040.0