Recent Discoveries of the Paijanense in The Upper Chicama, Moche and Virú Valleys, Northern Perú: New Perspectives on the First Hunter-Gatherers in the Andes of South America

Abstract

We present newly-registered Paiján sites in the interior and upper parts of the Chicama, Moche and Virú valleys, with strong tiesto the highland region. The research indicates that Paiján hunter-gatherers were not only a coastal group whose subsistence was basedon marine resources. They also occupied diverse ecological environments preferring springs with high mobility across the Andes and exploiting diverse resources, such as white-tail deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and raw materials for producing lithic tools.