The Chronological Sequence of the Ceremonial Centers of the Hamacas Plain and Tembladera, the Middle Jequetepeque Valley

Abstract

Multiple ceremonial centers dating to the Formative Period have been discovered in the middle Jequetepeque Valley, especially in the region of the Hamacas Plain. However, the relationships among these centers have not been discussed with appropriate chronological control. The author conducted an archaeological study during three field seasons mainly in the region of the Hamacas Plain, and an area near the modern village of Tembladera, located approximately 5 kilometers to the southeast. In this article, previously collected chronological data from these sites are evaluated for the middle Jequetepeque Valley. New data provide insight into the relationships between these centers, now making it possible to establish a fine-grained chronology over three phases: the Hamacas Phase (1500-1250 cal BC), the Tembladera Phase (1250-800 cal BC) and the Lechuzas Phase (800-550 cal BC). The results of this research suggest that the location of the ceremonial centers gradually shifted to the east. An attempt is made to explain why local populations abandoned the previous centers in favor of new locations to the east, from both an ecological and an ideological perspective.