Book

The prehistoric occupation of Chavín de Huántar, Peru

University of California Press • 14 • Published In 1984 • Pages: xv, 403

By: Burger, Richard L., Vidal, Hilda, Asaro, Frank, Michel, Helen, Lechtman, Heather.

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document

This document is the revised and modified manuscript of Burger's doctoral dissertation. Described is the prehistoric occupation of Chavín de Huántar. Burger concentrates on an analysis of the ceramic remains taken from the excavation units placed around the modern town. (Previous archaeologists had based their analyses on the ceramics taken from the temples.) His detailed ceramic sequence confirms the three phases and he was able to place some of the ceramics found by the earlier researchers (and therefore from the temples where there was no stratigraphy) within his three phase scheme. The ceramics show some evidence of trade in ceramics with other sites in Peru and some designs show contact with Ecuador. Spondylus shell was also found indicating trade with Ecuador. The size and character of each phase of occupation at Chavín de Huántar is examined along with some of the activities found in the various neighborhoods during the different phases; such as a discussion about the megalithic wall which may have been used to control travel through the area along with the bridge and canal near the temples. His data shows the beginings of urbanism and class differentiation. Also covered are descriptions of the stone tools and ornaments, bone artifacts, bone tool by-products, shell artifacts, quartz crystals, fossils, and chrysocolla artifacts. Appendices by different authors cover such things as human osteology and a close examination of a gold object.

SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF

Ceramic technology

Utensils

Internal trade

Visual arts

Cultural stratigraphy

traditionCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)

Chavín

HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document

2004

RegionThe area the document pertains to

South America

Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region

Central Andes

Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs

Book

Evaluation

Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.

Archaeologist

Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection

Sarah Berry ; 2003

Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document

1975 and 1976

Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to

circa 3200 BP-2200 BP (circa 1200 B.C.-200 B.C.)

Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)

Chavín de Huántar, Peru

NotesAdditional notes

by Richard L. Burger

Appendix A: Human osteological material -- Hilda Vidal / Appendix E: The source of the obsidian artifacts at Chavín de Huántar -- Richard L. Burger, Frank Asaro and Helen Michel / Appendix F: Technical examination of a gold-alloy object from Chavín de Huántar -- Heather Lechtman

Includes bibliographical references (p. 289-302)

LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number

83001389

LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings

Chavín culture