Tiempo y tradición en Arequipa, Perú, y el surgimiento de la cronología del Tema de la Deidad Central

Abstract

Time and Tradition in Arequipa, Perú, and the Development of a Chronology for the Central Deity Theme

The valleys of the department of Arequipa are poorly known archeologically when compared with many other regions of Peru. Hopefully this paper will stimulate interest. I describe two newly identified local Arequipa cultures based on artifacts collected in the valleys of Sihuas and Vitor, as well as an early Nasca 1 presence in the Sihuas Valley. For analysis and discussion I employ artifacts in collections and published illustrations. Siguas 1 flourished during the Early Horizon and Siguas 3 during the Early Intermediate Period. Both cultures placed their artistic emphasis on textiles rather than pottery, a possible reason for their neglect by scholars since Central Andean chronologies and seriations are based on pottery. Some early Nasca style textiles and pottery from Arequipa show characteristic differences from actual south coast examples, which is interpreted as local manufacture. This implies some form of interaction between Arequipa and the south coast. Preliminary results based on textile technologies implies that the far south coast influenced the south coast during the Early Horizon. The Siguas 2 textile tradition combines Siguas and Nasca elements. In addition, I describe Pukara related textiles dated to the Early Intermediate Period, some allegedly discovered in Arequipa. They permit tracing a Central Deity Theme back through provincial Pukara to Siguas 1 textile designs. Analysis of the Central Deity's head and crown with appendages from different traditions suggests that Tiwanaku's and Wari's 1A Conchopata themes were derived from different Pukara style traditions.