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

在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，乔治·古曼曼四世博士和他的同事将继续在位于秘鲁干旱北部海岸的El Brujo遗址进行考古发掘。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国内建筑组成，这些建筑可以追溯到大约公元前4000年到殖民时期。该遗址包含一个可参考莫切文化（公元200-800年）的重要组成部分，在空间上与早期和后期的组成部分分开。纪念性建筑和相关家庭区域的存在表明，该遗址可能是一个主要的政治和仪式中心。古曼和其他研究小组先前在该遗址进行的工作表明，包括纺织品和植物遗骸在内的有机材料保存得非常完好。这个惊人的保存提供了一个无与伦比的机会来探索莫切食物方式的具体方面。为了补充他们之前在纪念性中心的工作，他们现在将重点放在家庭居住的相关领域。莫切人居住在秘鲁北部海岸，在考古学上具有重要意义，原因有几个。从简单的村级组织到复杂的原始状态，可以追溯到一千多年的发展历程。莫希人没有文字，又处于严酷而不可预测的沙漠环境中，他们能够将分散在各个孤立的河谷中的大量人口团结起来，形成一个单一的政治实体。通过一个复杂的灌溉系统，他们生产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。古曼博士提出了一种独特的方法，并计划将重点放在食物如何在社会系统中流动上。他不仅会研究植物和动物物种的生产，还会研究它们在社会系统中的分配、消费和最终丢弃。这样就有可能解决诸如社会等级和仪式/仪式行为的发展等问题。他将挖掘一系列莫切人的家庭，不仅收集和分析动植物，还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。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。它将增加我们对社会复杂性发展的理解。它将使人们对一种重要的考古文化有新的认识，也将有助于发展一种分析方法，这种方法可能在世界许多地方使用。

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.