In prehistoric Peru, early civilization first arose during the Initial Period (2150-1000 B.C.). Irrigation agriculture, ceramics and weaving appeared almost simultaneously as part of this early development. One of the principal areas where early complex societies emerged was the Casma Valley on the North coast of Peru. During the Initial Period, both branches of the valley were apparently unified into a single large political unit or polity. With National Science Foundation support, Drs. Sheila and Thomas Pozorski will conduct three seasons of fieldwork at the main mound at the site of Sechin Alto. This complex stratified structure measures 300m x 250m x 35 m. tall and numerous connected plazas and smaller mounds extend fully 1.4 km out from the main mound. This was the largest structure in the New World at that time and the vast summit undoubtedly housed a variety of activities which were most likely concerned with administration of the valley-wide Sechin Alto polity by a single leader or a small corps of elite. The team will continue and expand excavations on the mound. They will approach the summit from both the East and West sides to examine the interface between this sector and public access routes via broad staircases. They will also attempt to determine how styles of construction and building layout changed over time. Just as the layout of the US capitol with separate chambers for the Senate and House of Representatives might provide future archaeologists with insight into the political organization of the United States, likewise structural organization of Sechin Alto may provide information on how the Casma Valley state was organized. Preliminary work suggests that mound organization changed over time and that variation in building style may reflect power shifts within the Valley itself. This research is important because it provides insight into how complex societies arose and were maintained. The size and age of the site make it unique and the data resulting from this project will be of interest to many archaeologists.
