The Moche Foodways Archaeological Project: Phase II -- Years 3 and 4

在国家科学基金会的支持下，乔治古梅尔曼四世博士和他的同事将继续在位于秘鲁干旱北方海岸的埃尔布鲁霍遗址进行考古挖掘。El Brujo建筑群面积超过一平方公里，由一系列金字塔和相关的家庭建筑组成，其历史可以追溯到公元前4000年到殖民时代。该遗址包含一个重要的组成部分，可与莫切文化（公元200-800年），在空间上与早期和晚期的组成部分分离。纪念性建筑和相关的国内区域的存在表明，该网站可能是一个主要的政治和礼仪中心。Gumerman和其他团体在该遗址的先前工作表明，包括纺织品和植物遗骸在内的有机材料保存得非常好。这种惊人的保存提供了一个无与伦比的机会，探索莫切美食的具体方面。为了补充他们之前在纪念中心的工作，他们现在将重点放在家庭居住的相关领域。莫切人占据了秘鲁的北方海岸，由于几个原因，他们在考古学上具有重要意义。我们可以追溯他们从简单的村庄组织到复杂的原始状态的一千多年的发展。莫切人缺乏文字，居住在严酷和不可预测的沙漠环境中，他们能够将分散在各个孤立河谷的大量人口团结成一个单一的政治实体。通过一个复杂的灌溉系统，他们产生了足够的盈余来建造巨大的金字塔和其他仪式建筑。考古学家希望了解这种文化是如何发展和维持的。Gumerman博士提出了一种独特的方法，并计划专注于食物如何在社会系统中移动。他不仅要研究植物和动物物种的生产，还要研究它们在社会系统中的分配、消费和最终丢弃。这样，就有可能解决社会等级制度和礼仪/仪式行为的发展等问题。他将挖掘一系列莫切家庭，不仅收集和分析植物群和动物群，而且收集和分析石器和陶瓷遗迹。在此基础上，还可以解决诸如地位差别等问题。它将增加我们对社会复杂性发展的理解。它将为一个重要的考古文化提供新的视角，也将有助于开发一种在世界许多地方可能使用的分析方法。

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. George Gumerman IV and his colleagues will continue their archaeological excavation at the site of El Brujo, located on the arid northern coast of Peru. The El Brujo complex, over a square kilometer in size, consists of a series of pyramids and associated domestic architecture dating from approximately 4000 BC through colonial times. The site contains a substantial component referable to the Moche culture (AD 200-800) that is spatially segregated from earlier and later components. The presence of monumental architecture and associated domestic zones suggests that the site probably served as a major political and ceremonial center. Prior work at the site by both Gumerman and other groups indicates that organic materials including textiles and botanical remains are remarkably well preserved. This amazing preservation offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore specific aspects of Moche foodways. To complement their previous work in the monumental center, they will now focus on related areas of domestic habitation.The Moche peoples occupied the northern coast of Peru and are archaeologically significant for several reasons. It is possible to trace their development for over a millennium from a simple level of village organization to complex primitive state. Lacking writing and situated in a harsh and unpredictable desert environment the Moche were able to unite a large population scattered over separate isolated river valleys into a single political entity. Through a complex irrigation system they produced sufficient surplus to erect monumental pyramids and other ceremonial structures. Archaeologists wish to understand how this culture developed and was maintained. Dr. Gumerman has proposed a unique approach and plans to focus on how food moved through the social system. He will study not only production of both plant and animal species, but also their distribution through the social system, consumption and final discard. In this way it will be possible to address issues such as the development of social hierarchy and ceremonial/ritual behavior. He will excavate a series of Moche households to collect and analyze not only flora and fauna but also lithic and ceramic remains. On this basis it will also be possible to address questions such as status differentiation.This research is important for several reasons. It will increase our understanding of the development of social complexity. It will shed new light on an important archaeological culture and will also help to develop an analytic approach of potential use in many parts of the world.