The Middle Horizon

Across the Andes major changes occurred in the Middle Horizon (A.D. 650–1000) as the highland Wari and Tiwanaku states exerted their influence over a large region. The people of the Nasca drainage, like many groups, experienced major shifts in settlements and sociopolitical organization, which is the focus of this chapter. Interactions and entanglements between Wari and Nasca people are examined throughout the region and at the site. At La Tiza there was a small residential area and an extensive area of mausoleums where elites were buried. The new mortuary practices indicate the development of new elite kin groups tied to the Wari state. Foreigners were found at the site in this period and buried in the tombs. The chapter also discusses the collapse of Wari and the abandonment of the Nasca region.

Life in the Nasca Desert

This chapter covers the geography, natural resources (water, soil, plant, and animal), and environment of the Nasca region. The natural and climatic phenomena that impact the area are described and include earthquakes, El Niño, and drought. In addition, evidence for long-term patterns of environmental change in the region is presented. The sacred geography of the region is discussed, including the identification of sacred mountain peaks and their associated mythology. There is a detailed description of the site of La Tiza, and the field and laboratory research methods of the project are detailed.

Local Resurgence

The reestablishment of complex societies after a period of abandonment in Nasca is the focus of this chapter. This time period called the Late Intermediate Period is explored in several areas that may have interacted with Nasca. Archaeological evidence is presented for the Nasca region and La Tiza. In addition, there is a brief discussion of the Late Horizon when the Inca conquered the region. Society was dramatically different in the Late Intermediate Period, with new types of political, economic, and religious organization. Power and leadership appear to have been more diffused and segmented. The absence of large ceremonial centers or other public gathering spaces, as well as lack of distinct and elaborate iconography, suggest religion was not the integrating factor that it was in previous times. These changes are documented in detail in this chapter, as is the hypothesis that most people who settled the region in this period were not related to those who lived here before.

The Rise and Fall of Complex Societies in Nasca

In this chapter a summary of the conclusions from the previous chapters is presented. The trajectory of the rise, collapse, and reformation of complex societies in Nasca is examined. In addition, there is a brief section on the colonial and modern periods in the region.

The Nasca Culture

The Nasca culture of the Early Intermediate Period was the first large, complex, regional integrated society centered in the region. This chapter explores the nature of complexity during the Nasca culture and presents new data from La Tiza that challenges previous interpretations. Issues of subsistence practices, irrigation, trade, economic organization, and craft production are covered along with an in-depth discussion of religion and the practices surrounding the geoglyphs and trophy head taking. The data from La Tiza are presented and, based on this evidence, it is argued that population was larger, settlements were more varied, and the civilization was more hierarchical and politically integrated than some scholars have suggested. Religion and ritual practices played a key role in the formation and expansion of this culture, with ceremonial centers and religious leaders at the center of the power structure for much of the period.

Farmers in the Desert

This chapter documents the first permanent settlement at La Tiza, which began in the later part of the Early Horizon (300 B.C.) when farmers established a village at the location. There is a discussion of the region as a whole, followed by a description of the units excavated from this time period. The chapter investigates various aspects of domestic life at the site as well as evidence for social differentiation and new religious practices. This was a period of dramatic population growth, and there is evidence for migration into Nasca at this time. The foundations were laid for the development of the civilization that was established in the subsequent period.

Earliest Inhabitants

This chapter covers the initial inhabitants and the foundations of local society in Nasca and at La Tiza. What is known about the Preceramic in the region is discussed, followed by a description of the units excavated at La Tiza and the conclusions generated from their analysis. The site was first occupied in the Middle Preceramic around 3600 B.C., when hunters and gatherers lived in the area subsisting on wild resources and some domesticated plants. Connections between the highlands and the coast are documented through the presence of goods such as obsidian and marine shell. It is proposed that people living at La Tiza may have been semisedentary, occupying the settlement for part of the year and moving to the coast, lomas (fog oasis), and highlands during other times.

The Dynamics of Complex Societies

This chapter presents the theoretical background to studying the dynamics of complex societies and presents the perspectives used to interpret the archaeological data from La Tiza and the Nasca region. The theories used to study complexity on the Peruvian coast are detailed, and several central factors are identified. These include the role of marine resources and domesticated plants, increases in coastal/inland interactions, agricultural intensification through irrigation, warfare, religion, and climate change. There is also an exploration of theory on the collapse and regeneration of complex societies.

Ancient Society in Nasca

This introductory chapter presents background information on the Nasca region and discusses the Nasca Lines, which are geoglyphs (ground drawings) and the feature for which the area is best known. The geoglyphs were created by the people of the Nasca culture, which was just one of many societies in the long prehistory of the region. A short summary of the historical trajectory of the region is given, and the development of the project at La Tiza is detailed. An outline of the book is presented along with a summary of each chapter.