Under the direction of Dr. John Rick, MS Silvia Kembel will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. She will continue her archaeological fieldwork at the site of Chavin de Huantar, located in the highlands of Central Peru. Although the dates are not precisely known - their determination forms one aspect of MS Kembel's research - the site was occupied for over a millennium, from approximately 1,800 to 200 BC. Peru is one of the few areas in the prehistoric world where the transformation from hunting and gathering societies to empires took place and it has, therefore, provided a focus for archaeological attention. Scientists wish to understand the basic processes which underlay this cultural evolution. Chavin is particularly important in this context because it is the first center which spread its influence across most of the Andean region. Thus it laid the groundwork for the series of true empires which succeeded it, the latest and best known of these founded by the Inca. From the data available, it appears that Chavin influence spread not through direct physical conquest, but rather was ideological in nature. It may best approximate a powerful religious movement. The site of Chavin contains a large temple constructed primarily of stone. From the arrangement of the structure and `joins` between segments it appears that the temple was constructed in stages, perhaps over hundreds of years. In the Andes, buildings themselves serve symbolic functions and their shape and arrangement provide insight into cosmological beliefs. Therefore if one can reconstruct the construction sequence at Chavin and determine how temple form evolved over time, insight can also be gained into the belief system which underlay it. MS Kembel and her colleagues have developed a three dimensional computer mapping program which allows them to fix multiple points within the sprawling complex of chambers and galleries and to produce an accurate map. With these data and other information provided by iconography and contained archaeological remains, it will then be possible to set the structure into a chronological context. This research is important for several reasons. It will further develop a computer mapping technique of potential widespread archaeological utility. It will provide data about an important archaeological site and shed additional light on the process of Andean state development. It will also assist in training a promising young archaeologist.
