Dissertation: Style and Culture Contact in the Southern Highlands of Peru

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Under the direction of Dr. Katharina Schreiber, MS Melissa Chatfield will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. She will continue fieldwork in highland Peru and conduct archaeological investigation at the site of Aqnapama. Because it is protected by a deep river gorge, it has escaped looting which is common in the region. Excavation will serve both to elucidate architectural forms, which characterize specific regional cultures and to obtain large well dated ceramic samples for detailed analysis. Based on work to date, it appears that five types of structures, distinguished by size and shape are present and a representative of each will be excavated in order to determine function. Laboratory analysis will focus on ceramics and materials will initially be classified into decorative groupings. This will be followed by a simple quantification of paste and temper characteristics. A representative sample will then be set aside for subsequent detailed petrographic analysis.Aqnapama dates to the Late Intermediate Period, ca. 900-1476 AD, a time when highland Peru was dominated by two large empires: Wari centered around Cuzco and Tiwanaku with a capital further South in Bolivia. Archaeologists wish to understand how each of these entities functioned and the relationship between the two. To what extent were these true "states" which exercised a direct control over outlying regions and which, at their mutual border engaged in hostile or competitive relationships? Although the area of demarcation between the two is fairly clear, Aqnapama is unusual because it appears to combine elements of both. Through analysis of pottery imported to the site as well as that locally produced, MS Chatfield will evaluate a series of hypothesized modes of interaction. Since it is likely that local inhabitants of the region had a tradition which predated the arrival of either Wari or Tiwanaku influences MS Chatfield wishes to determine how they related to both entities and the extent to which they were able to maintain a degree of local autonomy. Through a careful analysis of ceramic materials she will gain insight into these issues.This research is important for several reasons. It will provide data of interest to many South Americanist archaeologists. It will shed new light into how states arise and maintain their integrity and it will contribute to the development of a promising young scientist.