Under the supervision of Dr. Robert D. Drennan, Enrique Lopez-Hurtado will carry out an archaeological study at the site of Panquilma, on the central coast of Peru, to evaluate the role played by religious belief and ideology in the development of social hierarchy during the Late Intermediate Period (1100-1460 AD). The relationship between ideology and economic control in the establishment and maintenance of un-equal social relations is a complicated and contentious issue in the study of hierarchical societies. Some argue that ideology, while often involved in these processes, cannot by itself sustain much social inequal-ity, and that the emergence of real social power depends on coercive economic control in the hands of elites. Others insist that there are societies in which ideology is the pivotal force in the acquisition and maintenance of substantial social power. In such cases, economic differences may be almost impercepti-ble, but the performance of ritual activities is the exclusive prerogative of highly ranked people. Yet an-other view is that political competition for prestige and authority mainly involves non-material but secular processes. Such competition can be characterized by restricted display and circulation of prestige goods among elites and their followers. Understanding the interplay between these different social processes and how their importance may have varied in different societies is fundamental to understanding the his-tory and nature of the hierarchical societies in which most of the world's population now lives.
Panquilma is in a region where ethnohistoric sources speak of social hierarchy that revolved around one of the most important centers of religious pilgrimage in the ancient Andes: Pachacamac. Little is known, however, about this ideological component of social hierarchy and just how it related to more mundane social processes. Focusing on the smaller community of Panquilma, located in the hinterland of the im-portant religious center, will enable this research to see more clearly how the political importance of the religious center related to the local economic and political aspects of social hierarchy. In particular, this project seeks to assess the importance of the role played in the emergence of social hierarchy at Pan-quilma by the manipulation of ritual activities, relative to the roles played by control of economic resources and by political competition for prestige and authority.
Mr. Lopez-Hurtado will first construct a typographic map of the site and note the distribution of public and domestic buildings. Using this as a base, he will then excavate a series of 2 x 2 meter test pitsto identify buried features and collect material for analysis.
Beyond contributing to understanding of the dynamics of early hierarchical societies, the research will have several broader impacts. It will provide essential training for the doctoral candidate. In addition, it will aid in the protection of the archeological record in an area where it is severely threatened by uncon-trolled urban growth. While on the staff of the Site Museum of Pachacamac, in 2002-03, the doctoral candidate directed a project that established the legal boundaries of the site. Working from his already existing relationship with local residents, he will organize talks at local schools, and site visits for local students, school teachers, and authorities to encourage both appreciation of the value of archeological remains and understanding of the nature of scientific research. The project will also provide training and experience for five Peruvian undergraduate archaeology students who will participate in both field and laboratory work. Field equipment purchased for the research will be donated to the Site Museum of Pachacamac at the conclusion of the field work.
