From Queshqa to Callango: a Paracas obsidian assemblage from the lower Ica Valley, Peru

Abstract

Obsidian constitutes a significant lithic material recovered from Paracas (first millennium B.C.) sites in south coastal Peru. Its presence in a variety of site contexts indicates that interaction with the neighboring highlands was well established, as one of the principal sources is Quispisisa at a distance of 225 km. In this study we discuss an obsidian assemblage from the Callango sector of the lower Ica Valley and the results of neutron activation analysis (NAA) that have determined Quispisisa as the source. These analyses advance and refine our understanding of local and long-distance interaction between the coast and highlands and contribute to broader concerns about the activities associated with procurement and exchange. Test results produce the first chemical signatures for a Paracas residential site in the lower Ica Valley. Our study adds to the ongoing inquiry about obsidian geochemistry and how source loci analysis complements questions about the materials and social interactions of pre-Hispanic cultures.

La obsidiana es un material lítico significativo recuperado en los sitios paracas (1^er milenio a.C.) de la costa sur del Perú. Su presencia en diversos contextos de los sitios indica que la interacción con la sierra vecina se encontraba bien establecida, puesto que Quispisisa, que se encuentra a unos 225 km, fue una de sus fuentes más importantes. En el presente estudio examinamos un conjunto de obsidiana procedente del sector de Callango del valle bajo de Ica, así como los resultados del análisis de activación de neutrones (NAA) que determinó que su fuente fue Quispisisa. Estos análisis mejoran y refinan nuestra comprensión de la interacción local y de larga distancia entre costa y sierra, y contribuyen a un examen más amplio de las actividades asociadas con su adquisición e intercambio. Los resultados de las pruebas arrojaron las primeras firmas químicas de un sitio residencial paracas en el valle bajo de Ica. Nuestro estudio se suma a la investigación en curso acerca de la geoquímica de la obsidiana, y cómo el análisis de las fuentes complementa las preguntas referidas a los materiales y las interacciones sociales de las culturas prehispánicas.

Acknowledgments

Survey and excavations at PV62D13 were conducted by Lisa DeLeonardis under permit Acuerdo No. 5 de 24 enero 1995 granted by the Consejo Nacional de Arqueología, Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC), Lima (now Ministerio de Cultura), Peru and were supported by a Fulbright grant to her. Permission to transport the samples to the U.S.A. was granted under a letter-permit issued in 1996 by the Comisión Técnica, INC, Lima, Peru. We acknowledge the support of the Ministerio de Cultura, the Fulbright Commission, and the Museo Regional de Ica. Additional funding for instrumental NAA was provided by National Science Foundation Grant No. 1110793 through the Missouri University Research Reactor where NAA testing was conducted. DeLeonardis acknowledges the NSF and the collaboration of Michael D. Glascock who made this research possible. Additional on-site research analysis in Ica was supported by a faculty research grant from the Johns Hopkins University. We are most appreciative of Jerry Moore's careful editing and the useful critiques of two anonymous reviewers. We are indebted to a number of colleagues who read earlier versions of the article or lent support in some way: Richard Burger, Elmo León, Kevin Vaughn, Yuichi Matsumoto, Katharina Schreiber, Susana Arce, Markus Reindel, Johny Isla, and Benedikt Gräfingholt. Special thanks go to James T. VanRensselaer for his photography and to Javier Flores-Espinoza for the Spanish translation of the abstract.

Notes

1 The Alca source has been studied by Burger et al. (1998a), Burger et al. (2000), and Jennings and Glascock (2002). Chivay is the subject of analysis by Burger et al. (1998b), and Burger et al. (2000). The Jampatilla source has been documented by Burger et al. (1998c). Recent publications on the Quispisisa source are found in Burger and Glascock (2000, 2002), Vaughn and Glascock (2005), and Tripcevich and Contreras (2011, 2013). Burger and Asaro's (1979) “Andahuaylas A” and “Andahuaylas B” sources have been identified in Apurimac and renamed Potreropampa and Lisahuacho, respectively (Burger et al. 2006). See also Burger (2006) and Burger and Glascock (2009) for discussion of these sources and others beyond the temporal range of the present discussion.

2 DeLeonardis (2005: 29) uses the terms “early,” “middle,” and “late” Paracas as shorthand for Callango site chronology, referencing the ceramic sequence established by Menzel et al. (1964). Early Paracas refers to the incipient development of Paracas in the Ica Valley associated with Ocucaje ceramic phases 1–3, middle Paracas, phases 4–7, and late Paracas, phases 8–10. It should be noted that valley-wide settlement patterns and ceramic iconography suggest that phase 9 represents a distinct pattern from phases 1–8 and phase 10 is better understood to be transitional with Nasca. See Paul (1991: Figure 1.2, Table 1.1) for a summary of south-coast dates.

3 A formal analysis of lithic morphology for all of the obsidian discussed herein is not offered. DeLeonardis (1997) has analyzed lithics from site PV62D13 and a separate publication is in progress. See Gräfingholt (2011) for his analysis of Paracas lithics recovered from recent excavations in Palpa (Nazca Drainage).

4 Elmo León (2007) has analyzed two flake blades he associates with the Necrópolis of Wari Kayan but the obsidian has not been source tested.

5 The authors provide no morphological detail but indicate that the obsidian was recovered from architectural fill.

6 Burger and Asaro's (1979: 284) site name for Animas Altas is “Media Luna,” which was the name used until the 1980s. Aïcha Bachir Bacha is currently conducting excavations at the site.

7 Paracas obsidian from the Chincha and Cañete Valleys is under-represented in the literature where archaeological studies have concerned site identification by ceramics (Wallace 1971), architecture (Canziani 1992), or later time periods (e.g., Alcalde et al. 2001; Morris and Santillana 2007). Ongoing field research in the Chincha Valley by Charles Stanish will likely expand the record for that river valley.

8 A 2 m² unit was also excavated at PV62D24. The lithic flakes from the unit were mixed in fill soil and have been omitted from the present discussion.

9 Rock was observed to be a temper material in adobe and tapia. Adobe brick, tapia (plastered or adobe cement), and quincha (reed and plaster) were the primary materials used in building construction (DeLeonardis 1997: 173).

10 See Shimada et al. (1996) for a discussion of amber and its uses in ancient Peru.

11 Camelid use at PV62D13 is evident from the earliest contexts (DeLeonardis 1997). Both bone and guano (manure) were recovered in excavations. Whether the animals were raised for consumption, labor, sacrifice, or some combination of uses is beyond the scope of our discussion.