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Nasca Historical and Cultural Analysis

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The Ancient Nasca World

Abstract

Peruvian prehistoric man faced considerable difficulties to adapt to climatic and environmental situation of the area. The first coastal settlements are dated between 6000 and 3500–3000 BCE. The needs, arising from living in extremely adverse and diversified environments, led the first inhabitants to adapt physically and spiritually to a new reality. In the southern coastal region, which includes the Río Nasca valley , the earliest dating of cultural ritual nature is related to the early stages of Cahuachi . Other data on the deep stratigraphy of the temple area date the occupation of some structures of the ceremonial center to the middle of the second millennium BCE. The presence of cultural elements of Chavinoid type remained for a long time in the Nasca Culture area, due to the persistence of the Paracas influence that spawned the subsequent birth of Nasca culture . The Paracas society was probably ruled by a priestly class, but there is also evidence of war activities, unlike during the Nasca cultural domination, which was characterized by long periods of peace. The Nasca society produced very fine handicraft, thanks to technological achievements in the field of ceramic and textile manufacturing. The cultural influence of the last period of Nasca culture was the result of interrelations with the Sierra and the Wari cultures , which later assumed imperial characteristics and extended its dominion over the entire coastal region it had recently conquered.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The terminology used to establish the chronology of the sites mentioned in the article is mainly based on the classification used by archaeologists, so the entire period preceding the introduction of pottery is known as the Archaic. The Archaic Period began around 8000 BCE and ended around 1800 BCE, a date that commences the stage called Formative. This is divided into Early Archaic (8000–6000 BCE), Middle Archaic (8600–3000 BCE) and Late Archaic (3000–1800/1500 BCE). These dates may be subject to variation, depending on the interpretation of the archaeologists based on their research (Lumbreras 1969; Shadi Solis 1995). Other archaeologists (Lanning 1967; Rowe 1967; Rowe and Menzel 1967; Ravines 1970) use the term Preceramic, dividing it into six or five periods, or into Early, Middle and Late Preceramic (Chu Barrera 2008), the system adopted in this article.

  2. 2.

    Since then, some of these datings have been refuted and revised [see Velarde (2002)].

  3. 3.

    This chronology is currently in use because the earliest dated ceramic fragment corresponds to an artefact found in Wayrajirca (Higuera Valley, Kotosh, Region of Huánuco). However, there is another method of dating from material obtained from the Ucayali Basin (Dep. de Ucayali) associated with the Tutishcainyo from 2000 BCE.

  4. 4.

    The ceremonial centers of Pampa de Llamas, Moxeque, Cerro Sechin, and Sechin Alto flourished in the basin of the Río Casma, and were undisputed models of the authority of the priestly élite who held power. To the north, the Huacaloma site (Valley Crisnejo, Cajamarca) turned out to be one of the most interesting and complete examples of monumental ceremonial architecture in the center-north area of Peru. Other important sites were Huaca Florida, in the Rimac Valley and Cardal in the Lurin Valley (Region of Lima).

  5. 5.

    In the sense that they hold some stylistic features in common with the art at Chavin.

  6. 6.

    Slipware is a type of pottery identified by its primary decorating process where slip is placed onto the leather-hard clay-body surface before firing by dipping, painting, or splashing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Italiano Studi e Ricerche Archeologiche Precolombiane (CISRAP), via Grazie 6, Brescia, Italy

    Giuseppe Orefici

  2. CEAP, Avenida La Cultura, 600, Nasca, Peru

    Giuseppe Orefici

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  1. Giuseppe Orefici
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Correspondence to Giuseppe Orefici .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Archaeological and Monumental Heritage (IBAM), Potenza, Italy

    Rosa Lasaponara

  2. National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (IMAA), Potenza, Italy

    Nicola Masini

  3. Centro Italiano Studi e Ricerche Archeologiche Precolombiane (CISRAP), Brescia, Italy

    Giuseppe Orefici

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Orefici, G. (2016). Nasca Historical and Cultural Analysis. In: Lasaponara, R., Masini, N., Orefici, G. (eds) The Ancient Nasca World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47052-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47052-8_4

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