Ancient Civilisations of Andean South America

ARCL 2039
(0.5 Unit, 2nd & 3rd Year Option)

Term I - 2013

Dr. Jos R. Oliver, course coordinator/lecturer

Office: IoA Room 104; tel. 0207-679 1524
j.oliver@ucl.ac.uk
This course taught in alternate years

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Course Handout
ARCL 2039 Ancient Civilisations of Andean South America
Term I - 2013
(0.5 Units, 2nd and 3rd Year Option)

Dr. Jos R. Oliver

Office: IoA Room 104
j.oliver@ucl.ac.uk
tel. (0207) 679 1524
Office Hours: Mondays 11:00-12:30; Tuesdays 3-5 PM or by appointment
Lectures: Tuesdays 9-11 AM in Room 410

1. BRIEF OVERVIEW
Through archaeology, material culture, and ethnohistory this course examines the rise and fall of
complex Pre-Columbian civilisations of the central Andes of South America. These include the origins
of monumental public architecture in the Preceramic period, the development of the civic-ceremonial
centre of Chavn de Huntar (1000-200 BC) in the highlands, the complex Moche 'multi-polities' (AD
1-650) of the desert coast, and the Tiwanaku state (AD 400-1200) of Lake Titicaca basin in the
Bolivian-Peruvian altiplano. It concludes with an examination of the vast Inca Empire (AD 1400-1531)
and the consequences of Spanish Conquest. This course is intended as an introductory overview of the
archaeology of the Andean region of South America.
Organization of Lecture Themes. This course is divided into seven parts or major themes, as
follows: (1) Introduction to the Andean World; (2) The Cotton Pre-Ceramic-Initial Periods: The
Foundations of Andean Civilization; (3) The Pre-ceramic in the High Andes: Kotosh Religious
Tradition; (4) The Moche-Lambayeque Civilisations of Coastal Peru; (5) The Tiwanaku State of the
Titicaca Basin; (6) The Inca Empire; (7) The Spanish Conquest and Its Consequences. The major
themes are comprised of lectures on specific topics. A summary of the themes and lectures is found in
page 1 below. A detailed syllabus, including references of suggested and required reading materials,
can be found from page 6 onward.
.
Basic Texts (on reserve at IoA-Issue Desk).
Moseley, Michael D. (1992, 2001) The Incas and their Ancestors, pp. 99-145. London: Thames &
Hudson. IoA- Issue Desk MOS 3
Silverman, Helaine, editor (2004) Andean Archaeology. Blackwell Publishing, LTD. IoA- Issue Desk
SIL 2; DGF 100 SIL (1 week loan)
Silverman, Helaine and William H. Isbell (2008) Handbook of South American Archaeology, Springer,
New York. IoA-DG SIL (for reference use in Library only).
Wilson, David. (1999) Indigenous South Americans of the Past & Present. Westview Press, Inc. San
Francisco. IoA-Issue Desk WIL 9; DG WIL (two copies, 1 week loan)

2. COURSE AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND ASSESSMENT

a. Aims and Objectives
To introduce students to the key arguments regarding the nature and the historical
development of ancient civilisation in the Andean region.
To familiarize students with the strengths/weaknesses of the archaeological evidence (and
explanatory arguments for the developmental history of selected ancient Andean civilisations.
To teach students to criticize and evaluate interpretations of archaeological data.
To provide students with experience in critical assessment of the archaeological evidence.
To provide students with experience in using essential principles of interpretation that can be
applied in their own research (e.g. BA dissertations).

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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Students will become familiar with the key literature and source materials for each topic of discussion.
At the end of this course, the successful student should be able to recognize and understand what are
the principal questions and problems that archaeologists have wrestled with in Andean archaeology and
critically evaluate how effectively have these been addressed in recent years. That is, students should
be able to evaluate whether or not the explanations provided by archaeologists fit the available data. On
successful completion of this course students should be able to demonstrate to have developed further
skills on:

observation and critical reflection

application of acquired knowledge

oral presentation skills
b. Teaching Methods. This course consists of formal lectures presented in each session assisted with
PowerPoint presentations. Hand outs and other materials will be distributed to the students in class
when appropriate. Midway through this term, a Tutorial/Review session (students questions, queries)
will be held. The exact date/time and place will be announced, but will likely take place in Reading
Week.
c. Tutorial & Review Session. Individual/personal tutorials can be arranged by prior appointment and
will take place in my office. In addition there will be a mid-term tutorial/review session during
Reading Week (place/time to be announced).
d. Student Workload. There will be 20 hours of lectures scheduled during regular class meetings,
plus 2 hours for the Tutorial/Review meeting. Students are also expected to undertake about 100 hours
of reading plus 66 hours preparing for and producing the assessed essay work. The total workload is
about 188 hours for this course (the equivalent of 0.5 Unit).
e. Pre-requisites: The course is designed for either 2nd or 3rd yr. students. However, there is no prerequisites other than having completed the 1st year core courses.
f. Course work Assessment & Delivery. Work will be assessed by means of two essays based on
topics covered during the Term (each one worth 50% of the grade). The first essay is due 12
November, 2013 and the second is due on 13 December, 2013. Please note: I begin my sabbatical on
01/2014 and thus Essay 2 must be delivered by the stated deadline. The essay questions are provided
in the last two pages of the detailed syllabus (pp. 11-12). The essay length must fall between a
minimum of 2375 and 2,625 words. As of January 2013, UCL has new stringent penalties for
exceeding the word limits The following should not be included in the word-count: title page, contents
pages, lists of figures and tables, abstract, preface, acknowledgements, bibliography, captions and
contents of tables and figures, and appendices.
Please also consult your Undergraduate Student Handbook regarding applicable penalties if you
exceed the word limit (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/handbook/common/referencing.htm. )
Coursework (Essay) Submission procedures
Students are required to submit hard copy of all coursework to the course co-ordinators pigeon
hole via the Red Essay Box at Reception by the appropriate deadline. The coursework must be
stapled to a completed coversheet (available from the web, from outside Room 411A, or from the
library). Students should put their Candidate Number on all coursework. This is a 5 digit
alphanumeric code and can be found on Portico. Please note that this number (code) is different
from the Student Number/ ID. Please also put the Candidate Number and course code on each
page of the work. It is also essential that students put their Candidate Number at the start of the
title line on Turnitin, followed by the short title of the coursework. eg YBPR6 Funerary practices
in the Andes. Date-stamping will be via Turnitin (see below), so in addition to submitting hard
copy, students must also submit their work to Turnitin by the midnight on the day of the deadline.
Note that the hard copy will no longer be date-stamped. Date-stamping of the coursework (essays)
will be via Turnitin; students must submit their work to Turnitin by midnight on the day of the
deadline. The ID and Passwords for Turnitin are:

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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

TURNITIN FOR THIS COURSE

ID= 594862 PASSWORD= IOA1314

Students who encounter technical problems submitting their work to Turnitin should email the
nature of the problem to ioa-turnitin@ucl.ac.uk in advance of the deadline in order that the
Turnitin Advisers can notify the Course Co-ordinator that it may be appropriate to waive the late
submission penalty.

Extension Request Forms (ERF)

Late submission will be penalized, in accordance with UCL regulations (see next bullet point
below), unless permission has been granted and an Extension Request Form (ERF) completed.
Please make sure that such a request should be in advance of the coursework deadline. It is
preferable to seek the approval from the course coordinator in person. If there is any other
unexpected crisis on the submission day, students should telephone or (preferably) e-mail the
Course Co-ordinator, and follow this up with a completed ERF. Please see the Coursework
Guidelines on the IoA website (or your Degree Handbook) for further details of penalties.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/administration/students/handbook/submission
Late Submission Penalties
Please also note that there are stringent UCL-wide penalties for late submission. These are as
follows:
UCL regulation 3.1.6 Late Submission of Coursework
Where coursework is not submitted by a published deadline, the
following penalties will apply:
i.
A penalty of 5 percentage marks should be applied to coursework
ii.
submitted the calendar day after the deadline (calendar day 1).
iii.
A penalty of 15 percentage marks should be applied to coursework
submitted on calendar day 2 after the deadline through to calendar day 7.
iv.
A mark of zero should be recorded for coursework submitted on
calendar day 8 after the deadline through to the end of the second week of
third term. Nevertheless, the assessment will be considered to be complete
provided the coursework contains material than can be assessed.
v.
Coursework submitted after the end of the second week of third term
will not be marked and the assessment will be incomplete.
vi.
vii) Where there are extenuating circumstances that have been
recognised by the Board of Examiners or its representative, these
penalties will not apply until the agreed extension period has been
exceeded.
vii.
viii) In the case of coursework that is submitted late and is also over
length, only the lateness penalty will apply.
Where there are extenuating circumstances that have been recognised by the Board of Examiners or
its representative, these penalties will not apply until the agreed extension period has been
exceeded.
Marked Coursework Return (Feedback) Timescale
You can expect to receive your marked work within four calendar weeks of the official submission
deadline. If you do not receive your work within this period, or a written explanation from the
marker, you should notify the IoAs Academic Administrator, Judy Medrington. When your
marked essay is returned to you, you should return it to the marker within two weeks.
Keeping copies
Please note that it is an Institute requirement that you retain a copy (this can be electronic) of all
coursework submitted.

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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Citing Sources (References Cited)

Coursework should be expressed in a students own words giving the exact source of any ideas,
information, diagrams, etc. that are taken from the work of others. Any direct quotations from the
work of others must be indicated as such by being placed between inverted commas. Please, make
sure you follow the guidelines/rules (known as Harvard system) for referencing and citing
consulted literature sources in the text as well as in References Cited section of the essay. The
guidelines can be obtained from:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/handbook/common/referencing.htm.
Be aware that for most instances, referencing must include the pages or page range of the cited
source, and not just the year of publication; i.e, (Oliver 2008:33-36) not just (Oliver 2008).

Plagiarism (theft of intellectual property) is regarded as a very serious

irregularity that carries very heavy penalties.
It is your responsibility to read and abide by the requirements for presentation, referencing and
avoidance of plagiarism to be found in the IoA Coursework Guidelines on the IoA website
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/administration/students/handbook
IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF WHAT PLAGIARISM EXACTLY ENTAILS, YOU SHOULD
CONSULT YOUR COURSE-COORDINATOR FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE.
Coursework Resubmissions.
Students are not normally allowed to re-write or re-submit essays in order to improve their marks.
All essay papers must be typed in a word processor (PC), unless there is a medical reason. KEEP a
COPY of your essay in your PC files as an insurance against loss or misplacement.
For further guidelines on coursework and standard requirements please also consult your 2nd or 3rd year
degree Handbook at this web site: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/archaeology/course-info/ug2-3 s.
f. Communication. The primary channel of communication within the Institute of Archaeology is by
e-mail (j.oliver@ucl.ac.uk). If you wish to be contacted on your personal or work e-mail address,
please arrange for e-mail sent to your UCL address to be forwarded to your other address, since staff
and other students will expect to be able to reach you through your College e-mail - which they can
find on the UCL web-site. You must consult your e-mail regularly. Please also ensure that in addition
to the Institute, I have your up-to-date telephone/cell phone number, in case you need to be contacted.
You can also leave written messages in the mail bin on my door outside my office. In case of an
emergency you may phone Dr. Oliver at home (020 8361 9743).
Moodle Resource: To login go to http://moodle.ucl.ac.uk/login/index.php and in the new window
page you will find the course name and code number (ARCL2039).
The Moodle password for this course is: andes (in small letters).
Once in the course page you will find a folder that contains a copy of this hand out/syllabus. The
PowerPoint presentations will NOT be available in Moodle, thus it is strongly recommended that
you attend the lectures.
g. Hard of Hearing. You should be aware that your course coordinator (Dr. Oliver) is hard of hearing.
Although hearing-aids are very helpful, there are occasions when he cannot clearly understand your
oral comments or questions even with the hearing aids on. Therefore, please, do not be afraid or
embarrassed to speak loud or interrupt him to get his attention.
h. Course Attendance. A minimum of 70% attendance is required for all scheduled lectures and
discussion meetings (seminars). Absence due to illness or other justifiable adverse circumstances must
be supported by appropriate documentation. If properly documented, the 70% will not include the
absence due to adverse circumstances. Attendance is reported to College and thence (if relevant) to the
student's Local Education Authority. Students should also be aware that potential employers seeking
references often ask about attendance and other indications of reliability.

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

i. Dyslexia. If you have dyslexia or any other disability, please make your lecturers aware of this.
Please discuss with your lecturers whether there is any way in which they can help you. Students with
dyslexia are reminded to indicate this on each piece of coursework.
j. Student Feedback. At the end of each course you (and your fellow class-mates) will be asked to
give your views on the course in an anonymous questionnaire, which will be circulated during the last
two meetings of this term. These questionnaires are taken seriously and help me to further improve and
develop the course. The summarised responses are considered by the Institute's Staff-Student
Consultative Committee, Teaching Committee, and by the Faculty Teaching Committee. If you are
concerned about any aspect of this course I hope you will feel able or comfortable talking to me, but if
you feel this is not appropriate, you can consult your Personal Tutor, the Academic Administrator
(Judy Medrington) or the Chair of Teaching Committee (Dr. Karen Wright).
k. Detailed Syllabus Information (starting on page 1 below). For each theme listed in the syllabus, a
summary statement of its contents is given along with the required readings. Preferably, the required
materials should be read before the scheduled lecture date. Optional recommended readings are also
listed for each lecture topic. The latter are included for those interested in exploring further the topic
and for those who plan to choose an essay question related to the topic.
l. Reading Materials & Libraries. Reading materials for this course are available in electronic format
(PDFs). Find EXPLORE (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/Library/main.shtml). Any reference (reading) of a
journal article can be downloaded by typing author/article title in the top box, and select for UCL
journals in the lower box and then clisck on SEARCH button. Only those readings for which there is
no electronic format, (e.g., printed books), will remain on reserve at the Issue Desk. Additionally,
other required and/or recommended readings can also be found in the 'Watson' Science Library-UCL in
the 'Anthropology', 'History', and 'Geography' sections. Where applicable, in your reading lists I have
included the librarys reference code. If you encounter any difficulties in obtaining the reading
materials, please let me know in good time so that I can be of help.

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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

ARCL 2039 Ancient Civilisations of Andean South America

Term I 2013
Tuesdays 9-11 AM, Lecture Room 410

Summary List of Themes and Lectures

I. Introduction to the Andean World
Lecture 1.
Introduction to the Course
Lecture 2.
Vertical Ecological Zonation and Cultural Adaptation in the Andes
II. The Cotton Pre-CeramicInitial Periods: The Foundation of Andean
Civilisations
Lecture 3-4. The Early Centers with Monumental Architecture in Coastal Per
Cotton Preceramic Period (Part 1)
Lecture 5.
The Early Centers with Monumental Architecture in Coastal Per
Cotton Preceramic Period (Part 2)
Lecture 6.
The Maritime-Oasis Hypothesis
III. The Preceramic in the High Andes: The Kotosh religious Tradition
Lecture 7.
The Kotosh Religious Tradition of the Central Andean Highlands
Lecture 8.
The Collapse of the Late Preceramic/Initial Period & the Early Horizon
"Revolution"

IV. Chavn de Huntar and the Early Horizon in Highland Andes

Lecture 9.
Chavn de Huntar: From Village to Civic-Ceremonial Centre
Lecture 10. Chavn Art and Architecture
READING WEEK 4-8 NOVEMBER 2013
MID-TERM TUTORIAL/REVIEW MEETING
DATE/PLACE TO BE ANNOUNCED
V. The Moche Civilisation
Lecture 11. The Rise and Expansion of Moche Civilisation
Lecture 12. The Fall of the Moche: The Case of Pampa Grande
VI. The Tiwanaku State in the Lake Titicaca Basin (Altiplano)
Lecture 13. The Rise of Tiwanaku and its Capital Center
Lecture 14
The Tiwanaku Capital Core and its Periphery
Lecture 15
Tiwanaku Economy: Raised Field (waru-waru) Agriculture
Lecture 16
The Collapse of Tiwanaku (The Erickson- Kolata Debate)
VII. The Inca Empire
Lecture 17
The Inca Imperial Organisation
Lecture 18
The Inca Capital of Cuzco, Royal Estates & Sacred Landscapes
Lecture 19
Inca Empire & Conquest: The Case of the Wanka (Huanca) in the
Mantaro Valley
Lecture 20
The Spanish Conquest & Overview
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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Detailed Syllabus
ARCL 2039 Ancient Civilisations of Andean South America
Term II 2013
(0.5 Un it, 2nd & 3rd Year Option)

Dr. Jos R. Oliver, Coordinator/Lecturer

Office: IoA Room 104
j.oliver@ucl.ac.uk; tel. (020) 7679 1524
ESSAY DUE DATES:

No.1, 12 November 2013

No. 2, 13 December 2013
Essay Questions 1 & 2 are found at the end

PART I. Introduction to the Andean World

The first session discusses the aims and goals of this course and introduces the student to the
basic cultural and chronological terminology used in the Andes. The second lecture discusses
will introduce the student to the important concept of vertical ecological zonation or, (or
'verticality' as is commonly referred to) and its implications for sociocultural and economic
adaptation that gives a distinctive character to the Andean peoples, past and present. The
verticality model was developed by the late economic-anthropologist John V. Murra for
explaining colonial and modern Andean societies, and was quickly co-opted by archaeologists
to test its applicability and validity in pre-colonial (Pre-Columbian) times.
Lectures Week 1 (01 OCT)
1.
Introduction to the Course
Required readings
Wilson, David J. (1999) Indigenous South Americans of the Past & Present, Ch. 1:
pp. 1-9 and Ch. 3, pp. 39-68. IoA- DG WIL; Issue Desk WIL 9
Rowe, John H. (1973) Stages and Periods in Archaeological Interpretation in
Peruvian Archaeology: Selected Readings, Rowe and Menzel editors, pp.1-13, 1973
[5th edition]. IoA- DGF 100 ROW
2.

Vertical Ecological Zonation and Cultural Adaptation in the Andes

Required readings:
Murra, John V. (1985) "The Limits and Limitations of the 'Vertical Archipelago' in
the Andes. In Andean Ecology and Civilization: An Interdisciplinary Perspective on
Andean Ecological Complementarity. Edited by Shozo Masuda, Izumi Shimada and
Craig Morris, pp. 15-20. University of Tokio Press. IoA- DGF 100 AND (1 week)
Watson Science library ANTHROPOLOGY WA 100 MA (1 week).
Wilson, D. (1999) Indigenous South Americans of the Past & Present, Ch. 8: pp.
286-333. IoA-Issue Desk WIL 9; DG WIL
Sandweiss, Daniel H. and James B. Richardson III (2008) Central Andean
Environments. In: Handbook of South American Indians, edited by Silverman &
Isbell, Chapter 8. Springer. IoA- DG SIL.
Recommended readings
Murra, John V. (1985) "El archipilago vertical" Revisited. In Andean Ecology
and Civilization: An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Andean Ecological
Complementarity. Edited by Shozo Masuda, Izumi Shimada and Craig Morris, pp. 311. University of Tokio Press. IoA- DGF 100 AND 91 (1 week); Watson Science
Library ANTHROPOLOGY WA 100 MA (1 week).
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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Shimada, Izumi (1999) Evolution of Andean Diversity: Regional Formations. In

The Cambridge History of the Native Peoples of the Americas, Vol. III-Part I: South
America. Edited by F. Salomon and S.B. Schwartz. Cambridge University Press.
Read pp. 371-387. IoA-DG 100 SAL 91 (1 week)
PART II. The Cotton Pre-CeramicInitial Periods: The Foundation of Andean
Civilisations
The Cotton or Late Preceramic & the Initial Period marked the appearance large civicceremonial centres characterized by monumental architecture which served as models for the
organisation of future pan-Andean civislisations. The presence of large-scale, monumental
architecture has raised significant questions about the economic bases that sustained the
development of complex societies and states. Can complex societies arise in the absence of
agriculture? Are such monumental public works the result of stratified and socially complex
societies with centralised power or the result of kin-based corporate organization? How well
Moseley explanatory model on the 'rise of Andean civilisation' fit the data?
Lectures Week 2 (08 OCT)
3-4.
The Early Centers with Monumental Architecture in Coastal Per (Part 1)
Cotton Pre-Ceramic Period
Required readings
Haas, Jonathan and Winifred Creamer (2004) Cultural Transformations in the
Central Andean Late Archaic. In Andean Archaeology, Chapter 3, edited by Helaine
Silverman. Blackwell Publishing, LTD, London. IoA-Issue Desk SIL 2; DGF 100
SIL.
Haas, Johnathan (2004), Dating the Late Archaic occupation of the Norte Chico
region in Peru Nature 432, pp. 1020 - 1023 (23 December 2004); UCL EXPLORE
Moseley, Michael E. (1985) The Exploration and Explanation of Early Monumental
Architecture in the Andes. Early Ceremonial Architecture in the Andes, pp. 29-57.
Edited by C. B. Donnan. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library &
Collection. IoA- Issue Desk DON
Burger, Richard and Robert M. Rosenwig, editors (2012) Early New World
Monumentality. University of Florida Press: Gainesville. Read one of the following:
Chapter 11 (Haas & Creamer) or Chapter 14 (Burger and Salazar) IoA- DE BUR
Recommended readings
Moseley, Michael D. (1992) The Incas and their Ancestors, pp. 99-145. London:
Thames & Hudson. IoA Issue Desk MOS 3
Pineda Fung, Rosa (1988) The Late Preceramic and Initial Period. Peruvian
Prehistory, pp.67-96. Edited by Richard W. Keatinge. Cambridge University Press.
IoA- DGF 100 KEA (6 copies, 1 week loan).
Feldman, Robert A. (1992) Preceramic Architectural & Subsistence Traditions.
Andean Past, Vol. 3: 67-86. Cornell Latin American Studies Program. Cornell
University. UCL EXPLORE
Von Hagen, Adriana & Craig Morris (1998) Cities of the Ancient Andes. Chapter 3
-Early Monumental Architecture in the Andes, pp.40-58. Thames & Hudson,
London. IoA- DGF 100 VON; Issue Desk VON
Pineda Fung, Rosa (1988) The Late Preceramic and Initial Period. Peruvian
Prehistory, pp.67-96. Edited by Richard W. Keatinge. Cambridge University Press.
IoA- DGF 100 KEA (6 copies, 1 week loan).
Quilter, Jeffrey (1985) Architecture and Chronology at El Paraso. Journal of Field
Archaeology, Vol. 12: 279-297. UCL EXPLORE

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Lectures Week 3 (15 OCT)

5.

The Early Centers with Monumental Architecture in Coastal Per (Part 2)

Cotton Pre-Ceramic to Early Initial Periods
Finish readings listed for Week 2.

6.

The Maritime-Oasis Hypothesis

Wilson, D. (1999) Indigenous South Americans of the Past & Present, Ch. 9: pp.
334-356. IoA- DG WIL; Issue Desk WIL 9
Moseley, Michael D. (1992) Maritime Foundations and Multilinear Evolution.
Andean Past, Vol. 3: 5-42. Cornell Latin American Studies Program. Cornell
University. Issue Desk MOS
Raymond, J. Scott (1981) The Maritime Foundations of Andean Civilization: A
Reconsideration of the Evidence. American Antiquity 46(4):806-821. UCL
EXPLORE
Quilter, Jeffrey (1992) To Fish in the afternoon: beyond subsistence economies in
the study of early Andean civilization. Andean Past Vol. 3: 111-125. Cornell Latin
American Studies Program. Cornell University. IoA- Issue Desk QUI
Moseley, Michael D. (1975) The Maritime Foundations of Andean Civilization.
Menlo Park, San Francisco. IoA- DGF 100 MOS (2 copies, 1 week loan)
Quilter, Jeffrey and Terry Stocker (1983) Subsistence Economies and the Origins
of Andean Complex Societies. American Anthropologist, 85(3):545-562. UCL
EXPLORE

III. The Preceramic in the High Andes: The Kotosh Religious Tradition
The scale and size of monumental sites in the Andean highlands show a contrast with those
from coastal Per during the later Preceramic periods. This lecture focuses on the level of
social and organizational complexity in the high central Andes during the Preceramic. We
will examine the crucial architectural and material features of the so-called "Kotosh religious
tradition" and how this tradition compares with coastal those form coastal Pre-Ceramic sites.
The second discusses various arguments about proposed to account for the end (collapse?) of
Pre-Ceramic polities and the emergence of a pan-Andean period of integration that marks the
Early Horizon. What events/processes led to the collapse of Intial Period societies? What
were the causes for the Early Horizon "revolution", and what are the implications of such a
pan-Andean distribution?
Lectures Week 4 (22 OCT)
7.

The Kotosh Religious Tradition of the Central Andean Highlands

Required readings
Burger, Richard (1992, 1995 ppbk) Chavn and the Origins of Andean Civilization.
'Late Preceramic in the Highlands', pp. 42-55. London: Thames & Hudson. IoADGF 10 BUR (2 copies, 1 week loan).
Grieder, Terence and Alberto Bueno Mendoza (1985) Ceremonial Architecture at
La Galgada. Early Ceremonial Architecture in the Andes C. B. Donnan editor, pp.
93-109. Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C. IoA- Issue Desk DON
Recommended readings
Grieder, T., A. B. Mendoza, E. Smith and Malina (1988) La Galgada: A
Preceramic Culture in Transition. U. of Texas Press. IoA- DGF 10 GRI
Izumi, S. and T. Sono (1963) Andes 2: Excavations at Kotosh, Per, 1960. Tokyo.
IoA- DGF Qto IZU
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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Izumi, S., J. Cuculiza and C. Kano (1972) Excavations at Shillacoto, Huanuco,

Per. Univeristy of Tokyo Museum Bulletin 3. Tokyo. IoA- DGF 10 IZU
8.

The Collapse of the Late Preceramic/Initial Period & the Early Horizon
"Revolution"
Required readings
Read chapter by Richard Burger (1993) in Latin American Horizons, edited by Don
Rice, pp.41-74. Washington D.C. Dumbarton Oaks. IoA- Issue Desk RIC 1; DF
100 RIC (1 week loan)
Rodrguez Kembel, Silvia & John W. Rick (2004) Building at Chavn de Huntar:
Models of Social Organization and Development in the Initial Period and Early
Horizon. In Andean Archaeology, Chapter 4, edited by Helaine Silverman.
Blackwell Publishing, LTD, London. IoA- Issue Desk SIL 2; DGF 100 SIL (1 week
loan)

IV. Chavn de Huntar and the Early Horizon in Highland Andes

Chavn is the first major 'ceremonial' centre to have had a major influence throughout the
Central Andean region. It marks what is known as the Early Horizon (ca. 900 BC-200 B.C.),
a period when many elements of Andean culture were widely shared. Questions revolve
around various explanations/models that account for the emergence of Chavn and its
subsequent influence throughout the Central Andean region. How it came to have and exert
such broad regional influence, how it may have functioned, and what was its subsistence and
the nature of its economy. Pilgrimage is suggested by some to account for the creation and
maintenance of Chavn de Huntar as a centre of power.
Lectures Week 5 (29 OCT)
9.

Chavn de Huntar: From Village to Civic-Ceremonial Centre

Required reading
Burger, Richard (1992) Chavn and the Origins of Andean Civilization. Thames &
Hudson, London. Read Chapter V (especially pp. 128-82). IoA- DGF 10 BUR (2
copies, 1 week loan).
Burger, Richard Chavn de Huntar and its Sphere of Influence. In: Handbook of
South American Indians, edited by Silverman & Isbell, Chapter 35. Springer. IoADG SIL
Miller and Burger (1995) Our Father the Cayman, Our Mother the Llama: Animal
Utilization at Chavn de Huntar. American Antiquity 60(3):421-458. UCL
EXPLORE
Recommended readings
Moseley, Michael D. (1992) The Incas and their Ancestors, pp. 148-149. London:
Thames & Hudson. IoA- Issue Desk MOS 3
Conklin, William J. & Jeffery Quilter, editors (2008) Chavn: Art Archietcture &
Culture Cotsen Institute of Archaeology-UCLA. IoA Issue Desk CON [DGF 10
CON] Chapters 1 (J.Rick), 2 (S. Rodrguez Kembel) and 3 (Burger-Salazar) are especially
relevant. Others on art/iconography are also useful.

Wilson, D. (1999) Indigenous South Americans of the Past & Present, Ch. 9: pp.
371-380.
IoA- Issue Desk WIL 9; DG WIL (1 week loan)
Von Hagen, Adriana & Craig Morris (1998) Cities of the Ancient Andes. Chapter 3
-Early Monumental Architecture in the Andes, pp.40-58. Thames & Hudson,
London. IoA- Issue Desk VON; DGF 100 Von
Tello, Julio C. (1943) 'Discovery of the Chavn Culture in Peru. American
Antiquity 9(1): 135-160. UCL EXPLORE

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

10.

Chavn Art and Architecture

Required readings
Burger, Richard (1992, 1995) Chavn and the Origins of Andean Civilization.
Thames & Hudson, London. pp.207-209 IoA- DGF 10 BUR (2 copies, 1 week loan).
Lathrap, Donald W. (1985) Jaws: The Control of Power in the Early Nuclear
American Ceremonial Center. Early Ceremonial Architecture in the Andes, pp. 241267. C. B. Donnan editor. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library &
Collection. IoA- DGF 100 DO
R E A D I N G W E E K B R E A K
0 4 - 8 N o v e m b e r
ESSAY NO 1 due 12 November

V. The Moche Civilisation

The Early Intermediate period is marked by rise of regional polities such as Nasca, Moche,
Nievera, and Cajamarca, some of which attained high levels of sociopolitical and economic
complexity. The Moche have gained notoriety around the world mainly due to their
magnificent ceramic art (including a corpus of naturalistic erotic ceramic vessels), exquisite
craftsmanship, and complex architecture. The first lecture will focus on various theories
proposed to explain the rise and expansion of the Moche throughout coastal Peru. The second
lecture focuses on the various theories accounting for the demise (collapse) of the Moche by
examining the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental evidence from Pampa Grande (Moche
V) site in Lambayeque Valley. As Moche civilisation was an agrarian society evolving in a
desert/oasis environment, artificial irrigation technology was at the core of the polity's
economic success. There remain questions such as: Was their demise and collapse due to
catastrophic events (ENSO floods, droughts), internal revolts, or due to the) warfare
conquests by Wari (Huari) polities from the Cajamarca highlands?
Essay No. 1 Due today!

Lectures Week 6 (12 NOV)

11.

The Rise and Expansion of the Moche Civilisation

Required readings
Castillo, Luis Jaime and Santiago Uceda Castillo (2008) The Mochicas. In
Handbook of South American Archaeology, edited by H. Silverman & W. H. Isbell,
Chapter 36 (pp. 202-729). IoA DG SIL
Moseley, Michael D. The Incas and their Ancestors, pp. 161-164., 209-216.
London: Thames & Hudson. IoA- Issue Desk MOS 3
Wilson, D. (1999) Indigenous South Americans of the Past & Present, Ch. 9: pp.
356-366; 381-403. IoA- Issue Desk WIL 9; DG WIL (1 week loan)
Recommended readings
Bawden, Garth (1992) The Moche. Oxford: Blackwell. Especially pp. 198-207
(Emergence of), 263-275 (Collapse of). IoA- DGF 100 BAW
Chapdelaine, Calude (2001) The Growing Power of a Moche Urban Class. In
Moche Art and Archaeology in Ancient Peru, edited by J. Pillsbury, pp. 69-85.
National Gallery of Art-Yale University Press. IoA-DGF 300 Qto PIL
Pilsbury, Joanne (editor; 2001) Moche Art and Archaeology in Ancient Peru,
edited by J. Pillsbury. IoA-DGF 300 Qto PIL

12.

The Fall of the Moche: The Case of Pampa Grande

Shimada, Izumi (1994) Pampa Grande and the Mochica Culture, pp. 1-11, 61-93,
247-262. University of Texas Press. Issue Desk IoA SHI; DGF 10 SHI
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ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Castillo, Luis Jaime (2001) The Last of the Mochicas: A View From Jequetepeque
Valley. In Moche Art and Archaeology in Ancient Peru, edited by J. Pillsbury, pp.
307-328. National Gallery of Art-Yale University Press. IoA-DGF 300 Qto PIL
Dillehay, Tom D. (2001) Town and Country in Late Moche Times: A View from
Two Northern Valleys. In Moche Art and Archaeology in Ancient Peru, edited by J.
Pillsbury, pp. 259-278. National Gallery of Art-Yale University Press. IoA-DGF
300 Qto PIL
VI. The Tiwanaku State in the Lake Titicaca Basin (Altiplano)
Tiwanaku is one of the most intriguing civilizations of the Andean world, developing one on
of the very few truly urban centres in the New World. It's capital, Tiwanaku, developed in a
seemingly bleak, low potential environmental region and yet it sustained what is regarded as a
very large, dense urban complex. At the height of its power, Tiwanaku's influence extended
to south coastal Peru, northern Chile and NW Argentina. The character and mode of
administrative state control over these far-flung or peripheral regions are still debated: Were
these the result of the implementation of a 'vertical archipelago/zonation' economic model?
Was control of the peripheral ecomoic resources direct (colonial enclaves) or indirect (patronclient relationships)? How did the locals on the periphery articulate to the Tiwanaku state?
What was the the economy that sustained Tiwanaku? By the time the Incas conquered the
region, the capital was already a ruin. Why did it collapse? Was it because of the climate
(the drought in AD 1250 and the consequent lowering of the Lake Titicaca levels) or were
there other factors? These and other issues are explored by focusing on three sub-themes: the
role of raised field (waru-waru) agricultural technology and what it tells us about centralised
political economy; the explanatory power of Murra's "vertical complementarity" along with
theories regarding direct versus indirect rule (of client vs. colonised peripheral polities); and
neo-environmental deterministic explanations for change (collapse).
Lectures Week 7 (19 NOV)
13.

The Rise of Tiwanaku and Its Capital Center

Required reading
Stanish, Charles (2003) Ancient Titicaca: The Evolution of Complex Society in
Southern Peru and Northern Bolivia. Berkeley: University of California Press. Read
pp. 165-203. DGF 10 STA (2 copies, 1 week loan)
A. Kolata and C. Ponce Sangins (1992) Tiwanaku: The City at the Center, in The
Ancient Americas: Art From Sacred Landscapes, pp. 317-334. R. Townsend, gen.
editor. Chicago Art Institute. IoA- DE Qto TOW
Mohr Chvez, Karen (1988) The Significance of Chiripa in Lake Titicaca Basin
Developments. Expedition 30(3):17-26. The University of Pennsylvania Museum.
Free PDF download from: http://www.penn.museum/ expedition-back-issues.html
also, UCL EXPLORE
Recommended readings
Kolata (1993) The Tiwanaku: A Portrait of an Andean Civilization. see especially
pp. 183-205 Oxford: Blackwell. IoA- DGF 10 KOL
Kolata, Alan (1984) The South Andes, in Ancient Americans, pp. 241-285, .
Edited by in Jennings, ed. San Francisco DF 100 JEN
Von Hagen, A. & C. Morris (1998) Cities of the Ancient Andes. Chapter 6, pp.116128. Thames & Hudson, London. IoA- DGF 100 Von; Issue Desk VON

14.

The Tiwanaku Capital Core and its Periphery

Required readings
Bermann, Marc (1992) Lukurmata: Household Archaeology in Prehistoric Bolivia.
Princenton U. Press. Read conclusion chapter. IoA- DGF 100 BER
7

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Bermann, Marc (1997) Domestic life and vertical integration in the Tiwanaku
heartland. In Latin American Antiquity 8(2):93-112 UCL EXPLORE
Recommended readings
Janusek, Wayne (2008) Ancient Tiwanaku: Civilization in the High Andes.
Cambridge University Press. IoA- DGF 100 JAN (1 copy, Standard Loan)
Janusek, Wayne (2004) Identity and Power in the Ancient Andes: Tiwanaku Cities
through Time. Routledge-London IoA- DGF 100 JAN (2 copies, 1 week loan)
Goldstein, Paul (1993) Tiwanaku Temples and State Expansion: A Tiwanaku
Sunken Court Temple in Moquegua, Per. In Latin American Antiquity 4(1): 22-47.
Janusek, Wayne (2002) Out of Many, One. In Latin American Antiquity 13(1):3561. UCL EXPLORE
Bermann, Marc (1992) Lukurmata: Household Archaeology in Prehistoric Bolivia.
Princenton U. Press. IoA- DGF 100 BER
Alabarracin-Jordan, Juan (1996) Tiwanaku Settlement System: The Integration of
Nested Hierarchies in the Lower Tiwanaku. In Latin American Antiquity 7(3): 183210. UCL EXPLORE
Lectures Week 8 (26 NOV)
15.

Tiwanaku Economy: Rasied Field (waru-waru) Agriculture

Required readings
Kolata, Alan editor (1995) Tiwanaku: Archaeology and Paleoecology of an Andean
Civilization. Read Ch1 pp. 1-22 and Ch. 12 pp. 265-281. Smithsonian Institution
Press. IoA- Issue Desk KOL 1 (2 copies, )
Erickson, Clark L. (1988) Raised Field Agriculture in the Lake Titicaca Basin.
Expedition 30(3):8-16. The University of Pennsylvania Museum. Free PDF
download from: http://www.penn.museum/ expedition-back-issues.html ;and also
UCL EXPLORE
Recommended reading
Denevan, William (2001) Cultivated Landscapes of Native Amazonia and the
Andes. Oxford Geographical and Environmental Studies. Oxford University Press.
Read. pp. 254-277. IoA- Issue Desk DEN

16.

The Collapse of Tiwanaku: The Erickson-Kolata Debate

Required readings
Erickson, Clark L. (1999) Neo-environmental Determinism and Agrarian 'Collapse'
in Andean Prehistory. Antiquity Vol. 73, pp. 634-642. UCL EXPLORE
Kolata, Alan, M. W. Binford, M. Brenner, J. Janusek & C. Ortloff (2000)
Environmental Thresholds and the Empirical Reality of State Collapse: A Response
to Erickson (1999). Antiquity Vol. 74, pp. 424-426-642. UCL EXPLORE
Calaway, Michael J. (2005) Ice-core Sediments and Civilisation Collapse: A
Cautionary Tale from Lake Titicaca. Antiquity Vol. 79 (no. 306), pp. 778-790. UCL
EXPLORE

VII. The Inca Empire

The Inca Empire, Tawantinsuyu (Land of the Four Quarters), extended from Southern
Ecuador to Northern Chile, over 4,000 km in length, and from the Pacific coast to the edges of
the Amazonian forest to the east. The Inca were the most complex state civilisation to arise in
South America. The empire was around a couple of centuries old when Francisco Pizarro
and 168 Spaniards arrived in 1532. Within a year, following the execution of Atahualpa
(Atawalpa) in 1533, the fate of Tawantinsuyu was sealed: the collapse of the empire followed
quickly. Many questions arise: How could such an vast Inca Empire was forged in the face
8

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

hugely diverse indigenous societies and polities, ranging from complex states like Chimor
(North Coast) and confederacies like the Aymara 'Kingdom' (Titicaca Basin) to politically
autonomous 'tribal' peoples like of the eastern Selva (Peruvian Amazon). How did the Inca
built a vast empire in such short time frame? How these 'provincial' populations were
incorporated and administered by the Inca State? The Incas pre-Spanish history emerges
from ethnohistoric documents that have 'coloured' their reconstructions, while the Inca Lords
(Sapa Inca) had been busy re-writing their history. How archaeology squares with the
ethnohistoric and Inca-based 'histories' of the empire. What were the consequences of the
Spanish Conquest for Andean peoples?
Lectures Week 9 (03 DEC)
17.

The Inca Imperial Organisation

Moseley Moseley, Michael D. (1992) The Incas and their Ancestors, pp. 25-71.
London: Thames & Hudson. IoA-Issue Desk MOS 3
Hiltunen, Juha & Gordon McEwan (2004) Knowing the Inca Past. In Andean
Archaeology, Chapter 12, edited by Helaine Silverman. Blackwell Publishing, LTD,
London. . IoA- Issue Desk SIL 2; DGF 100 SIL (1 week loan)
D'Altroy, Terence and Katharina Schriber (2004) Andean Empires. In Andean
Archaeology, Chapter 13, edited by Helaine Silverman. Blackwell Publishing, LTD,
London. . IoA- Issue Desk SIL 2; DGF 100 SIL (1 week loan)
Urton, Gary (2008) Inca Khipu: Knotted -Chord Record Keeping in the Andes. In:
Handbook of South American Indians, edited by Silverman & Isbell, Chapter 41.
Springer. IoA-DG SIL.
Recommended readings
Burger, Richard and Lucy Salazar (2004) Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of
the Incas. Yale University Press. DGF 10 BUR (Standard Loan)
D'Altroy, Terence (2002) The Incas. London: Blackwell. IoA-DGF 100 DAL.
Malpass, Michael editor (1993) Provincial Inca: Archaeological and
Ethnohistorical Assessment of the Impact of the Inca State. U of Iowa Press. See
especially, Susan Niles's 'The Provinces in the Heartland...' (Ch 6: pp. 145-176) IoADGF 100 MAL
Morris, Craig (1988) Progress and Prospect in the Archaeology of the Inca, in
Peruvian Prehistory, pp.133-256. Edited by Richard W. Keatinge. Cambridge
University Press. :233-256. IoA- DGF 100 KEA
Wilson, D. (1999) Indigenous South Americans of the Past & Present, Ch. 9: pp.
403-428. IoA- DG WILL, Issue Desk WILL

18.

The Capital City of Cuzco, Royal Estates & Sacred Landscapes

D'Altroy, Terence (2002) The Incas. London: Blackwell. Read Chapter 1 (pp.123). IoA-DGF 100 DAL
von Hagen, A. & C. Morris (1998) Cities of the Ancient Andes. Chapter 8- City
and Countryside in the Inka Empire, pp. 161-198. Thames & Hudson, London.
IoA- DGF 100 VON; Issue Desk VON

Lectures Week 10 (10 DEC)

19.

Inca Empire & Conquest: The Case of the Wanka (Huanca) in the Mantaro
Valley
Required readings
D'Altroy, Terence (1992) Provincial Power In the Inka Empire. Smithsonian
Institution Press. Read pp. 47-70. IoA- Issue Desk DAL 2 (3 hr. loan, 1 copy);
DGF 200 DAL.
9

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

Be aware that only 1 copy is available if you plan to do Essay 2 question #4. A
photocopy of relevant pages should be available as IoA-Teaching Collection #917

D'Altroy, Terence (2002) The Incas. London: Blackwell. Read Chapter 4 (pp. 6285); and Chapter 9 'The Varieties of provincial Rule' (pp. 249-262). Desk Issue IoADAL 1 (1 copy); DGF 100 DAL (3 copies, 1 week loan)
Recommended readings
Malpass, Michael editor (1993) Provincial Inca: Archaeological and
Ethnohistorical Assessment of the Impact of the Inca State. U of Iowa Press. See
especially, Susan Niles's 'The Provinces in the Heartland...' (Ch 6: pp. 145-176) IoADGF 100 MAL
20.

The Spanish Conquest and Its Consequences

Recommended readings
Rostorwski de Diz Canseco, Mara (1999) History of the Inca Realm, Cambridge
University Press. IoA- DGF 200 ROS

Essay No. 2 due Friday 13 December, 2013

10

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

ARCL 2039 Ancient Civilisations of Andean South America

Essay Questions
Dr. Jos R. Oliver
j.oliver@ucl.ac.uk.
There are two sets of questions. You must choose and answer one question from each set (not
two questions from the same set). The first set comprises questions regarding themes II-IV;
the second set comprises questions regarding themes IV-X outlined in your course syllabus.
Each essay is worth 50% of the total course mark.
FIRST SET OF QUESTIONS
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING for ESSAY No. 1

Due Date: Tuesday 12 November 2013

1.

Discuss and evaluate the extent to which Michael Moseleys Maritime-Oasis Hypothesis is (or not)
supported by the archaeological/palaeoenvironmental evidence from the Cotton Pre-Ceramic
period, especially with reference to the Norte Chico region in coastal of Peru.

2.

Did the Kotosh Religious Tradition (ca. 3000-1800 BC) ceremonial centers in the Andean
highlands develop in isolation and independently from those of the Cotton Pre-Ceramic period on
the arid coast of Per? [Be sure to consider ceremonial architectural patterns and exotic/trade
materials.]

3.

Based on the archaeological evidence from the Late Preceramic/Initial Periods in Per, provide a
critical assessment of the following statement: Not long ago it was widely believed that plant
domestication followed agriculture and that sedentarism was a necessary consequence of
agricultural dependence. Linked to this view was the idea that high population size and density
leading to more complex societies could only arise and be maintained through agricultural
economy.

4.

In what ways is the concept of Early Horizon (i.e., 'horizon' and 'horizon style') a useful
conceptual/organizational tool for understanding the significance of the Chavn 'phenomenon' in
Per?

5.

Donald W. Lathrap, following the lead of Julio C. Tello argued for a tropical Amazonian origin for
the rise of Chavn de Huntar in the highlands. Evaluate and discussed the archaeological
evidence (including iconography) for and against Lathraps hypothesis.

6.

Can Robert Carneiro's theory of social and ecological circumscription account for the rise of
complex polities and subsequent expansion of the Moche State? Discuss.

7.

Does the presence of early monumental architecture in the Pre-Ceramic period signal the rise of
complex societies in the Andes? Discuss.

8.

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS: What is the role of maize (Zea mays) in the rise of Andean
civilisation? If you select this question, you must come and see me as early as possible for
additional guidance (and reading materials)

11

ARCL. 2039 Andean Civilisations, Term 1, 2013

ARCL 2039 Ancient Civilisations of Andean South America

SECOND SET OF QUESTIONS
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING for ESSAY No. 2

Due Date: Friday 13 January 2013

1.

Of the various theories have been proposed to account for the collapse of the Moche
civilization (Moche V) which ones best explain the archaeological evidence and why?
Discuss in reference to the data from Pampa Grande.

2.

Using archaeological evidence, can Tiwanaku be considered a State and if so, what kind of
state?

3.

Is the climatic/catastrophic explanation offered by Alan Kolata et al. for the collapse of the
Tiwanaku state well supported by the palaeoenvironmental and archaeological evidence, or
are there other alternative explanations?

4.

In understanding the power and influence of Tiwanaku, authors like Kolata, Berman and
Janusek have focused on the concepts of core & periphery. How useful is this approach in
understanding the role of Tiwanaku, given the archaeological evidence available?

5.

Was the Inca imperial strategy for subjugating other peoples, incorporating new territories and
polities, largely based on military conquest and direct rule? Does the archaeological evidence
from the Mantaro Valley (Wanka/Huanca) project provide a clear answer to this question?

6.

Discuss the evidence to support the view that Machu Picchu functioned as a royal estate of the
Inca (Pachakuti Inca Yupanki)? How is Machu Picchu different from Cuzco?

7.

Is the khipu (quipu) a 'writing' system or merely a 'mnemonic' device? What information was
encoded and who had access to it? What are the problems surrounding the decipherment of
quipus?

12