The Rise of Native Lordships at Pashash, a.d. 200–600, North Highlands of Ancash, Peru

• DOI: 10.1080/00934690.2022.2087993
• Publication Date: 2022-06-21T06:14:10Z
• Authors: George F. Lau; Milton Luján Dávila; Jacob L. Bongers; David Chicoine
• Keywords: Cult; Elite; Polity; Mesoamerica

This article examines the rise of native, segmentary lordships in highlands north-central Peru. It reports on new excavations and mapping at seat a prehispanic polity, Pashash (Recuay culture), large hilltop center that developed after collapse Chavín civilization. Fieldwork revealed monumental constructions two special activity contexts radiocarbon-dated to ca. a.d. 200–400: an offering area palatial compound room-complex with chambers closed off sealed feasting refuse. Multiple lines evidence help reconstruct regional picture for establishment wealthy local elites. Cultural innovations explicitly link leaders roles defense warfare, economic production, early burial cult within high-status compound. The current data underscore major break from earlier systems authority elite material culture, comprising organizational pattern was precursor ethnic polities predominated later Andean prehistory.