Archaeological Investigations at Tambo Colorado (Pisco Valley, South Coast, Peru): The Late Intermediate Period and the Late Horizon occupations

Moulin, Clea (2021) Archaeological Investigations at Tambo Colorado (Pisco Valley, South Coast, Peru): The Late Intermediate Period and the Late Horizon occupations. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This thesis is an archaeological investigation of Tambo Colorado, a major archaeological site in the Pisco Valley (South Coast, Peru). The archaeological site, located on the northern bank of the Pisco river, is known especially for its Inca occupation and ceremonial core, which features the Inca-style monumental architecture and well-preserved polychrome murals. The Inca occupation has been the focus of many studies by Peruvian and foreign archaeologists since the beginning of the 20th century. Despite great advances in understanding the ancient settlement, the areas surrounding the monumental core, which are rarely visited and heavily looted, have seen very little systematic study and publication. This thesis investigates the wider settlement and occupation of Tambo Colorado and reports on archaeological evidence dating directly before and during the Inca presence in the valley. I focus on the cultural patterning of different sectors of the site, especially contexts adjacent to the Inca monumental core, specifically in rocky and higher areas flanking the monumental sector.

I describe and use a framework, broadly centred on social complexity and local identity, to help contextualise and shed light on previous research about the Tambo Colorado site, and then the new evidence of my field investigations. In particular, I report on data resulting from mapping, surface collections and sampling excavations that I led and completed at these sectors. These include architectural features, pottery, lithics, textiles, and other remains.

Overall, this thesis contributes new evidence and insights concerning the prehistory of Peru, particularly the South Coast during the last centuries before the Europeans. The reporting of assemblages provides new data and cultural patterning of multiple artefact classes to characterise activity contexts and the cultural affiliation of groups settled around the Inca period monumental core of the Tambo Colorado site complex.

Keywords: Late Intermediate Period, Late Horizon, Inca, Ica, Chincha, South Coast of Peru, Tambo Colorado.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Art, Media and American Studies
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	11 Jul 2022 13:48
Last Modified:	11 Jul 2022 13:48
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/85380
DOI:

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