Precolumbian archaelogy

Daily life in a Mayan kingdom was a complex, multi-faceted -- and often times difficult -- way of life.  Their geographic area encompassed a portion of Mesoamerica, from Southeastern Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula down into Northern Central America.  Mayan territory included Pacific coastline, mountainous highlands, and forested lowlands.  Scholars today believe the total area covered approximately 125,000 square miles.  Each area had its own unique challenges, from the fertile Pacific side, with warm, tropical conditions, to the highlands, with cooler, more temperate-like zones.  Volcanoes, rivers, mountains and forests fill Mayan Mesoamerica, each with its own sub-zone and micro climate.  Unlike North American tribal societies, where large animals were followed seasonally, the food sources of the Maya -- fish, small animals, deer, and birds -- remained mostly stationary, permitting earlier members of Mayan society to establish deep roots in particular locales.

Contudo, um dos exemplos mais nítidos de uma justaposição de conceitos culturais
ocidentais é a sustentação de que os maias organizaram-se, religiosamente, sob um âmbito
politeísta. Apesar de polêmica, esta visão começa a ser revista no final do século XX. As diversas
divindades atribuídas às culturas maia e mexica, na verdade, podem ser somente desdobramentos
ou manifestações de uma única entidade.

ABSTRACT During the Middle Archaic period, agriculture -that later played an important role- was established in the Central Andes. Pernil Alto was a permanent settlement of this period, dating to 5800-5000 cal BP and located in Southern Peru. The economy was already based on horticulture and was independent from the marine resources of the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, some foraging, especially plant collection, was conducted. Currently, the area is one of the driest in the world, but was -based on palaeoclimatic information-much more favourable during the Middle Archaic. These conditions certainly influenced the emergence of horticulture in the region.

https://difusion.ulb.ac.be/vufind/Record/ULB-DIPOT:oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/280822/Holdings
SUMMARY
Since man’s arrival on the American continent, pre-Columbian civilizations came in contact with other societies, whether neighbors or distant ones. This work aims to study the links, the contact phenomena and the transmission models between the pre-Hispanic cultures. This matter is tackled not in a general way but through the ceramic shape of the stirrup spout bottle. Why this vessel ? Because it was produced over a large portion of the American continent for more than three millennia. It is therefore an essential feature of the material culture of these civilizations, especially for those of South America. Few elements make it possible to observe these phenomena on a large scale and particularly between the two major cultural zones of South and Central America. The stirrup spout bottle is yet one of those elements that has crossed time and space.
Three factors are analyzed to fully comprehend this vast topic: the geography, the chronology and the technology.
The first two factors are addressed together. The method consists in drawing up an exhaustive inventory of pre-Columbian cultures that produced this unique ceramic shape as well as to list its morphological characteristics. These data allow to better understand the degrees of relationship uniting these cultures. This will enable to map its diffusion at micro or macro regional level throughout the pre-Hispanic era, from the first copies found in Ecuadorian Amazon to the ones produced under the Inca Empire in Peru.
The third factor addresses the technology. It is approached through the notion of "operational chain". The research focuses on the construction stages of the bottle with an emphasis on the analysis of the macro-traces found on its inner surface. The study is based on a sample of sixty three stirrup spout bottles of which forty-nine were specifically analyzed for the purpose of this thesis via archaeometry and its medical imaging techniques (CT scan and X-ray radiography) as well as with the naked eye observations. The analyzed bottles mainly belong to the cultures of the Peruvian North Coast. The collected data enables to compare the manufacturing processes, identify convergences and divergences, and better understand the transmission and the technical know-how of this unique form.

Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, in Washington, DC, is an institute of Harvard University dedicated to supporting scholarship internationally in Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape Studies through fellowships, meetings, exhibitions, and publications. Located in Georgetown and bequeathed by Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, Dumbarton Oaks welcomes scholars to consult its books, images, and objects, and the public to visit its garden, museum, and historic house for lectures and concerts.

Recent archaeological research on Cayenne Island (French Guiana) showed that maize was a very important crop during the late pre-Columbian period (AD 900-1500), at least among the coastal population of this part of the Guianas. In contrast, the post-Columbian or Modern Times (AD 1500-1900) of this particular region are dominated by reports of the consumption of manioc, notably cassava, manioc beer and later on of farinha. This dichotomy makes sense when discussing various events during the 17th century by means of careful reading of the historical documents, the comparison of material culture and the interpretation of local Amerindian oral tradition. In this manner, it is proposed that the introduction of metal graters by Europeans has favored the consumption of manioc over maize in the Guianas.

Published an earlier version about 5 years ago in Portuguese but gathered in the mean time more information and translated it into English. Obrigado à Goeldi and merci à Americae

De Waal, M.S., Amerindian Cultural Landscapes in Ceramic Age Barbados.
In: De Waal, M.S., Finneran, N., Reilly, M.C., Armstrong, D.V. and Farmer, K. (eds) 2019: Pre-Colonial and Post-Contact Archaeology in Barbados. Past, Present, and Future Research Directions, Sidestone Press (Leiden), pp. 99-114.

English Summary:


This remarkable book is the fruit of 30 years of investigations of two archaeologists, husband and wife, Maria Magdalena and Andrzej Antczak, on the pre-Hispanic archaeology of the majestic Los Roques Archipelago, Venezuela. The uniqueness of the Los Roques Archipelago within the panorama of insular pre-colonial archaeology in the Americas centers on the discovery of more than 400 human clay figurines on one small island, Dos Mosquises, along with elaborate primary ritual contexts and the remains of a gargantuan queen conch (lobatus gigas) exploitation enterprise. This book is the winner of two of the highest scientific publication awards in Venezuela (2006 & 2009).


Resumen en Español:


Desde el título de este volumen de indiscutible valor, la palabra “prometidas” aplica oportunamente a nuestro maravilloso archipiélago venezolano de Los Roques la alegoría bíblica que coloca al final de un exigente camino hermosas tierras, donde corren ríos de leche y miel. Hacia estas islas con abundantes recursos marinos, entre los cuales destaca el gran caracol marino llamado ‘botuto’, se dirigían las canoas indígenas durante al menos cuatro siglos antes de la conquista europea. Las campañas de explotación de los recursos en las islas dependían del éxito de la actividad ceremonial, testimoniada por centenares de figurinas humanas, incensarios, ocarinas y pipas cerámicas, flautas de hueso y silbatos de concha, recuperados por los arqueólogos en complejos contextos primarios.

La presencia de esta diversidad de objetos en los campamentos temporales de las pequeñas islas oceánicas es un fenómeno excepcional en la arqueología del Caribe. En este sentido, la publicación de esta monografía es el cumplimiento de un prolongado esfuerzo y de un caro anhelo por proporcionar al lector una explicación sólida y coherente de este fenómeno arqueológico único. Es también el final de una importante etapa de ese camino verdaderamente exigente de la investigación arqueológica. A través de sus páginas, con un soporte teórico documental de inusual solidez y pertinencia, se difunde el fruto de muchos años de perseverante dedicación para sus autores, María Magdalena Mackowiak de Antczak y Andrzej Antczak, arqueólogos y antropólogos vinculados desde hace tiempo con la Universidad Simón Bolívar.

Se trata, sin duda, de una obra mayor, enriquecida por 1500 ilustraciones y más de 200 tablas, que describe hallazgos arqueológicos excepcionales recuperados de manera sistemática durante más de 60 campañas de trabajo de campo, y desarrolla propuestas verdaderamente seminales para el entendimiento del significado y la valoración del legado prehispánico en Venezuela y, en especial, en sus territorios insulares.

Este volumen ha sido concebido no solamente como lectura referencial para profesionales y estudiantes de arqueología y antropología, sino también esta dirigido al lector no especializado que puede sentirse atraído por el vibrante, colorido y desconocido pasado prehispánico presentado en estas páginas. También, a través de esta monografía los autores aspiran a infundir El Orgullo por el Pasado, el lema que orienta sus trabajos de investigación y docencia.

Este vasto y complejo proyecto editorial ha sido posible gracias a la concertación de un gran equipo profesional y una venturosa alianza de nuestra Universidad con Banesco y Petrozuata, confluencias que celebramos también como promesas felizmente cumplidas.

El libro ha recibido numerosos premios nacionales incluyendo:

IV Premio Nacional del Libro 2006, Mejor Libro Científico otorgado por el Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Cultura.

2009 Premio Alterno por Mejor Investigación en Ciencias Sociales, otorgado por la ASOVAC (Asociación Venezolana para el Avance de la Ciencia).

2007 Premio Andrés Bello para la Mejor Investigación en Ciencias Sociales otorgado por la Universidad Simón Bolívar.

Toro Muerto (valle del río Majes, Arequipa-Perú), es uno de los sitios arqueológicos más grandes del mundo y con mayor cantidad de expresiones petrográficas: en un área de 10 km2 se han registrado 2.584 bloques de rocas grabadas con representaciones geométricas, zoomórficas y antropomórficas. En el 2017, al realizarse las prospecciones de acuerdo con el Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológica Toro Muerto (PIA-TM), en el extremo norte del sitio, se halló una colina con 92 petroglifos aun no estudiados (Sector X). En el 2018, se realizó un registro integral y preciso de todo el yacimiento: cada roca cuenta con fichas, fotografías calibradas, dibujos y algunos modelos 3D de rocas. Asimismo, se realizaron levantamientos geodésicos, fotogrametría del terreno, ortofotos, tecnomorfología y modelo 3D del sector y también excavaciones. El presente artículo trata sobre el estudio y la virtualización integral del patrimonio cultural rupestre del referido sector.

Coricancha (Qurikancha, Qorikancha) was the most important temple in Cuzco, the capital of Tawantinsuyu, the Inca Empire. The Spanish Conquistadores had the opportunity to see her, and her legendary richness, in November 1533, after entering Cuzco. Coricancha was the place to worship the most sacred effigies of the Inca cult, including the figure of the Sun, called Punchao. From this early period, there are also references, unfortunately not very precise, related to a specific orientation of some elements of the temple providing reflection of the rising (or setting) sun on the aforementioned figure of Punchao. Based on these sources, and the analysis of the remains of the original Inca Coricancha, a number of hypotheses regarding the possible astronomical function of this temple were formulated. Of particular importance was the hypothesis of Zuidema and Aveni, according to which astronomical observations at Coricancha constituted the structural skeleton of a specific Inca calendar cycle of 328 days. This article presents a critical analysis of this hypothesis, based on long-term research and measurements carried out in the Coricancha by the authors of the text.

The portrait-vessels of the Moche culture are one of the most enigmatic categories of prehispanic Andean ceramics. They were produced mainly between the 3rd and 7th centuries A.D., in workshops located in the Santa, Virú, Moche, and Chicama valleys of coastal Peru. The marked physical and psychological individualization of the faces and the naturalist manner of representing them--something rare in contexts of societies with no writing--have intrigued scholars for more than a century. Why did Moche society create these artifacts? Are they in fact portraits, in the modern sense of the word? Who were the individuals represented? These are some of the questions this book tries to answer. In Spanish.

Los Rostros Silenciosos" deals with one of the best known, yet at the same time most enigmatic categories of pre-Hispanic Andean ceramics – the Moche culture's huaco portraits.

Los rostros silenciosos esta dedicado a una de las mas conocidas y al mismo tiempo mas enigmaticas categorias de la ceramica andina prehispanica: la de los huacos retrato de la cultura Moche. Producidos en su mayoria entre los siglos III y VII de nuestra era, en talleres ubicados en los valles de Santa, Virú, Moche y Chicama, representan un fenomeno muy particular en la historia del arte mundial.

La marcada individualizacion fisica y psicologica de las caras y la manera naturalista de representarlas – caracteres sumamente raros en el contexto de sociedades agrafas – han despertado el interes de los investigadores (arqueologos, historiadores del arte, artistas e incluso medicos y patologos) desde hace ya mas de un siglo. ¿Por que en la sociedad moche surgio la necesidad de crear tales artefactos?, ¿efectivamente eran retratos en el sentido moderno de la palabra?, ¿quienes eran los sujetos representados? Estas son algunas de las principales interrogantes a que este libro trata de responder.

“Los rostros silenciosos. Los huacos retrato de la cultura Moche” de Janusz Z.Woloszyn, editado por el Fondo Editorial de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) en el 2008 intenta responder ¿por qué en la sociedad moche surgió la necesidad de crear tales artefactos? ¿efectivamente eran retratos en el sentido moderno de la palabra? ¿quienes eran los representados?. El libro que viene con un gran despliegue de imágenes, símbolos, fotografías se basa en el análisis de 778 piezas de cerámica desde una perspectiva semiológica y además de ofrecer sugerentes respuestas también plantea nuevas interrogantes.

El polaco Janusz Z. Woloszyn ha publicado una investigación donde las enigmáticas vasijas moches con forma de cabeza humana son el objeto de estudio. Los rostros silenciosos. Los huacos retrato de la cultura moche (Fondo Editorial de la PUCP, 2009) es una publicación que cuenta con una variedad de ilustraciones, figuras, esquemas, cuadros y patrones decorativos, adornos y detalles, que sumergirán al lector en el apasionante mundo del arte y la representación mochica.  Asimismo, establece un conjunto de criterios de análisis en los que estética, análisis iconográfico, arqueología y bioantropología conviven en una fructífera interdisciplinariedad.

CIUDADES INCAS, LLACTAS APUS Y FORMAS EN LA GEOGRAFIA SAGRADA.
Inca cities. Llactas, Apus and forms in Sacred Geography

Inca cities presents the fundamental considerations
for the comprehension of Incas planning, such as the
conditioning of the environment and the elements of
the andean worldview.
It was assumed, that those principal hypothesis for
the Inca planning were: the conditioning of the
environment and the elements of the andean
worldview
This research describes Inca sites in the Urubamba
Valley, the major infrastructure projects, urban
layout linked to the Apus (sacred mountains), and
schematizes the form in the Incas llactas territory.
Finally shown the designs of the territory in the
studied llactas.
Ciudades Incas presenta las consideraciones
fundamentales para comprender el planeamiento
inca, como el acondicionamiento del medio natural y
los principales elementos de la cosmovisión andina.
Se asumió como hipótesis principal de esta
investigación que las consideraciones fundamentales
para el planeamiento inca fueron: el
acondicionamiento del medio natural y los
elementos de la cosmovisión andina.
Esta investigación describe sitios incas del valle del
Urubamba, las principales obras de infraestructura,
la disposición urbana relacionada con los Apus
(montañas sagradas), y esquematiza la forma en el
territorio de las llactas incas. Finalmente se
presentan los diseños del territorio de las llactas
estudiadas.

CIUDADES INCAS, LLACTAS APUS Y FORMAS EN LA GEOGRAFIA SAGRADA. Por Carlos Enrique Guzmán. Publicado en revista: 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘯 𝘊𝘪𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘥 𝘺 𝘈𝘳𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢. Ed. INIFAUA – UNI, Lima. 2012.

This chapter presents the first results of the works conducted by the author between 2004 and 2007 on the Dominica early ceramic occupation. A large survey program, completed by test pits and excavations support a paleogeographic approach of the island pre-Columbian occupation with a focus on the early ceramic period. This paper include the new Dominica pre-Columbian archaeological map and originals data including C14 datations.

The topic of this work is the anura, i.e. frogs and toads, in Moche iconography. Its primary aim is to establish if the anura were, in Moche cosmovision, associated with rains and agricultural fertility. During the early stages of this project, I gathered data and interpretations about the anura, while at the later stage, I built upon these findings to establish a classification system for these amphibians. The objectives of the classification are: first, to create a comprehensive database of anura, and secondly to create a flexible framework that can be used for future research and developed further. In order to reach the objectives and, because of the lack of written sources, an adaptation of the Panofsky method was employed. The outcome of this research illuminates links between the anura, and specific characteristics and concepts underlying Moche culture, e.g. the agricultural fertility. The different anura depictions, in particular the "sapo botánico", show a direct connection between these animals and plant growth, water, rain and fertility.

As of yet, little is known about the emergence of agriculture in the Central Andes. The results of the investigations of the Middle Archaic settlement of Pernil Alto (3800-3000 BC) presented in this volume now provide important insights for a better understanding of this development.
The site of Pernil Alto is located in the foothills of the Andes in Southern Peru. Extensive excavations were carried out here by the German Archaeological Institute. Within the scope of this research, the economic development, form of mobility and social structure were investigated. For this purpose, the discovered remains (artefacts, dwellings, burials, botanical and faunal remains, and human remains) were analyzed and numerous 14C-analyses and Sr-analyses were carried out. The results were combined in a multi-proxy analysis and evaluated in relation to paleo-environmental findings. The result is a six-phase settlement with intra-site burials. During the first phase (ca. 3800-3300 BC), it was a settlement of foragers that relied on food collection, but already cultivated domesticated plants in an additional low-level food production. From the second phase (ca. 3300 BC) onwards, the settlement had developed into a permanent, structured village in which agriculture constituted the basis of subsistence.
This is hitherto one of the oldest documented villages in the Americas where agriculture formed the basis of subsistence. The results of the research conducted at Pernil Alto thus contribute to a better understanding of the formation of slightly later first complex, marine-agricultural societies on Peru‘s central coast.

Volume description: Maya Imagery, Architecture, and Activity privileges art historical perspectives in addressing the ways the ancient Maya organized, manipulated, created, interacted with, and conceived of the world around them. The Maya provide a particularly strong example of the ways in which the built and imaged environment are intentionally oriented relative to political, religious, economic, and other spatial constructs.

In examining space, the contributors of this volume demonstrate the core interrelationships inherent in a wide variety of places and spaces, both concrete and abstract. They explore the links between spatial order and cosmic order and the possibility that such connections have sociopolitical consequences. This book will prove useful not just to Mayanists but to art historians in other fields and scholars from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, geography, and landscape architecture.

The uploaded proofs include minor issues that have been resolved in the published version. Please consult the final publication when citing.

RESUMEN
El análisis de las trazas urbanas de varios sitios de las Tierras Bajas, ha resultado en la identificación de un elemento arquitectónico muy particular conocido comúnmente como Patrón Triádico, que está formado por tres edificios principales situados sobre un alto basamento. Según la ideología Maya temprana, este tipo de conjunto representa el lugar de la “creación del fuego sagrado”. Asimismo tuvo una gran difusión en el área Maya, desde inicios del período Preclásico Tardío, lo cual resalta su importancia como elemento diagnóstico para definir la identidad Maya."

A detailed analysis of historical records was used to create an accurate replica of a pre-Columbian, Northwestern South American sailing raft. La Manteña-Huancavilca was built in Ecuador and voyage for several weeks off Ecuador and Colombia. The raft, controlled by native methods including mobile leeboards and two lateen sails, was found to have excellent sailing characteristics, being able to carry out all basic maritime maneuvers including sailing close to the wind. Although the vessel was lost to Teredo navilis, the shipworm, the project generated much data on the options and constraints that would have conditioned the behavior of pre-Columbian mariners on this coast.