A New Perspective on Conchopata and the Andean Middle Horizon

Identifying locals, migrants, and captives in the Wari Heartland: A bioarchaeological and biogeochemical study of human remains from Conchopata, Peru

“…Conchopata was occupied during the Early Intermediate Period (AD 1-550/600) when a small community of Huarpa peoples lived and buried their dead there (Isbell and Cook, 2002;Tung, 2003). The site was expanded, and the population increased in the Middle Horizon (AD 600-1000), nearly simultaneous with Wari imperial expansion into distant regions, such as Cerro Baúl in the south Nash, 2005, 2006), Pikillacta in the east (McEwan, 2005), Pataraya in the Nasca region to the west (Schreiber, 1999;Edwards, 2010), and possibly Viracochapampa in the north (Topic, 1991;Topic and Topic, 2010) (Fig.…”

“…2), located about 12 km south of the capital site of Huari (Isbell and Cook, 2002). The site was home to people who engaged in a variety of tasks, including such things as childcare and the production of food, chicha (maize beer), textiles, and ceramics; these objects included master craft items such as intricately worked semi-precious stone and beautifully complex iconography (Pozzi-Escott, 1991;Isbell and Cook, 2002;Cook and Glowacki, 2003;Tung and Cook, 2006;Isbell 2007;Isbell and Groleau, 2010). According to Isbell (2001Isbell ( , 2007 Conchopata was also home to royal lords and their multiple wives or concubines who lived in palace compounds; however, skeletons from these possible royal lords and consorts have yet to be uncovered, so this hypothesis remains to be tested (Tung, 2003).…”

“…According to Isbell (2001Isbell ( , 2007 Conchopata was also home to royal lords and their multiple wives or concubines who lived in palace compounds; however, skeletons from these possible royal lords and consorts have yet to be uncovered, so this hypothesis remains to be tested (Tung, 2003). The Conchopata elites also hosted public feasts (Cook and Glowacki, 2003;Cook and Benco, 2002) and performed elaborate rituals in circular and D-shaped structures (Ochatoma and Cabrera, 2002;Isbell and Cook, 2002) where human trophy heads were put on display (Tung, 2008a). Military triumphs were also celebrated in these ritual spaces, as evidenced by the deposition of large ceramic urns showing Wari warriors seizing prisoners and carrying trophy heads (Ochatoma and Cabrera, 2002;Ochatoma et al, 2008;Cook, 2001).…”

Household Archaeology in the Andes

“…Evidence suggests that subsequent offerings were added over a period of time and the density of offerings would have prevented the room from being used for other purposes. In contrast, other individuals were buried under patio floors associated with ritual pot smashes of fine Wari pottery (Isbell 2000(Isbell , 2004bIsbell and Cook 2002) that essentially put these spaces out of use and likely ended the use of the entire dwelling. Thus when the individual that was buried in the patio space died, the dwelling lost its life too.…”

Una Ofrenda de Cerámica Ceremonial Wari en La Oroya, Valle de Acarí, Perú

“…Los posteriores descubrimientos de depósitos similares nuevamente en Conchopata (Isbell 2000;Isbell & Cook 2002;Ochatoma & Cabrera 2001, 2002 y en el sitio de Maymi del valle de Pisco (Anders (1990) dejaron claro que el establecimiento y posterior expansión del estado Wari desde su centro de origen fueron acompañados por diversas actividades ceremoniales que incluyeron el sacrifi cio intencional de una serie de vasijas policromas (Cook 1984:51). Menzel (1964) reconoce a este tipo de depósitos como las "ofrendas de la tradición del Horizonte Medio".…”