Chronology and Sequences at Huambacho, Nepeña Valley, Coastal Áncash

Abstract

With the objective of refining regional chronologies in the lower portion of Nepeña Valley, coastal Áncash, this article examines sequential data from architecture and ceramic contexts at the site of Huambacho. Recent investigations at the Early Horizon center of Huambacho have brought evidence to explore the emergence and development of a regional cultural tradition in the lower portions of the north-central coast of Perú, characterized by a typical architectural design of interior colonnade. This contribution reviews architectural and material elements of this tradition, its regional distribution, and excavation from stratified deposits. Data from building sequences, ceramics, and radiocarbon measurements are analyzed in light of previous interpretive frameworks. Results suggest the development of a distinct cultural tradition encompassing the lower portions of coastal Áncash and contemporary with a multitude of ceramic styles previously interpreted as successive chronological phases.