Hostname: page-component-69cd664f8f-tp5d2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-03-12T16:33:15.641Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Going Vertical

Using Vertical Progression Techniques to Explore a Cliff Necropolis in Late Precolumbian Chachapoyas, Peru

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2018

J. Marla Toyne ,
Armando Anzellini ,
Lori Epstein Mičulka ,
Ismael Mejías Pitti ,
Jordi Puig Castell  and
Salvador Guinot Castelló
J. Marla Toyne*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Howard Phillips Hall room 309, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
Armando Anzellini
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, 502 Strong Hall, 1621 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA (aanzelli@vols.utk.edu)
Lori Epstein Mičulka
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Howard Phillips Hall room 309, Orlando, FL 32816, USA (lori_miculka@nps.gov)
Ismael Mejías Pitti
Affiliation:
Asociación Ukhupacha, Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain (ismaelmejiaspitti@gmail.com)
Jordi Puig Castell
Affiliation:
Asociación Ukhupacha, Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain (ismaelmejiaspitti@gmail.com)
Salvador Guinot Castelló
Affiliation:
Asociación Ukhupacha, Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain (ismaelmejiaspitti@gmail.com)
*
(j.marla.toyne@ucf.edu, corresponding author)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Most archaeological practice involves horizontal excavations of ancient occupations and cemeteries, but the Chachapoya of Peru's eastern montane built tombs along narrow cliff ledges, which require innovative methods of investigation. Many of these sites are becoming exposed and threatened due to increased deforestation. The La Petaca mortuary complex includes 125 constructed platforms, modified ledges, mausoleums, and caves containing human remains across one section of an exposed rock face approximately 200 m across by approximately 80 m high. While the site has been looted and damaged due to various taphonomic processes (including ecological, geological, and cultural), we argue that there are recoverable details, especially in relation to how the ancient Chachapoya people created and accessed these vertical spaces. Through collaboration with technical professionals, we identified and documented many tombs using vertical progression techniques. This valuable partnership between spelunkers and archaeologists allowed us to develop techniques for “vertical archaeology,” including safe access in order to be able to document, sample, and make detailed observations of building methods and burial contents.

La mayoría de los cementerios antiguos se encuentran en emplazamientos sin dificultad de acceso, donde se excavaron tumbas para depositar los restos mortuorios. Sin embargo, los Chachapoyas de la región serrana oriental del Perú construyeron sus tumbas en acantilados escarpados de muy difícil acceso. Muchos de estos sitios están expuestos y en peligro a causa de la creciente deforestación. En el complejo mortuorio de La Petaca encontramos 125 mausoleos y cuevas con restos humanos, conectados entre sí por medio de plataformas construidas en madera y salientes rocosos modificados. La Petaca ocupa un área de más de 200 metros de longitud por 80 metros de altura de la sección de un acantilado muy expuesto de roca caliza. A pesar de que el sitio arqueológico ha sido saqueado y dañado debido a diversos procesos tafonómicos (incluyendo procesos ecológicos, geológicos y culturales), sostenemos que hay datos recuperables utilizando técnicas especializadas. A través de la colaboración con técnicos de acceso y posicionamiento con cuerdas, hemos podido acceder e identificar muchas de las construcciones. Esta valiosa alianza entre arqueólogos y técnicos de acceso por cuerdas ha permitido desarrollar la especialidad de una arqueología en espacios verticales. Esta comprende, entre otras cosas, temas relacionados con la elección de anclajes que causan un mínimo impacto en estos emplazamientos tan sensibles y el acceso y posicionamiento seguro para que los técnicos e investigadores puedan llevar a cabo sus trabajos de mapeo, tomar muestras y realizar observaciones detalladas tanto de las técnicas arquitectónicas como de los contenidos de las tumbas.

Type
Articles
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , November 2018 , pp. 298 - 311
Copyright
Copyright 2018 © Society for American Archaeology 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES CITED

Adams, Mark 2007 Safe and Efficient Tree Ascent: Doubled Rope Techniques (DdRT). Arborist News 16 (3):50–54.Google Scholar
Anzellini, Armando 2016 Biometric Analysis of Post-Cranial Long Bone Variation of Commingled Human Remains from La Petaca, Chachapoyas, Peru. Master's thesis, Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando.Google Scholar
BBC 2014 Peru Cave Rescue: Spanish Caver Rescued near Chachapoyas. BBC online, October 1, 2014. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29438268, accessed August 20, 2018.Google Scholar
Bolaños, Aldo 2010 El reto vertical andino: Desafíos de la gravedad en las sociedades andinas precoloniales. Arqueología y Sociedad 21:199–130.Google Scholar
Brush, Stephen B. 1976 Man's Use of an Andean Ecosystem. Human Ecology 4: 147–166.Google Scholar
Camp, Richard J., and Knight, Richard L. 1998a Effects of Rock Climbing on Cliff Plant Communities at Joshua Tree National Park, California. Conservation Biology 12:1302–1306.Google Scholar
Camp, Richard J., and Knight, Richard L. 1998b Rock Climbing and Cliff Bird Communities at Joshua Tree National Park, California. Wildlife Society Bulletin 26:892–898.Google Scholar
Ceruti, Maria Constanza 2001 La sacralidad de las montañas en el mundo Andino: Ensayo de análisis simbólico. In El santuario incaico del cerro Aconcagua, edited by Schobinger, Juan, pp. 379–394. Editorial de la UNCuyo–EDIUNC, Mendoza, Argentina.Google Scholar
Church, Warren B. 1997 Más allá del Gran Pajatén: Conservando el paisaje prehispánico Pataz-Abiseo. Revista del Museo de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia 7:205–248.Google Scholar
Church, Warren B. 2004 Manachaqui: Buscando las raíces de los Chachapoya. Sian 9:4–5.Google Scholar
Church, Warren B., and Alvarez, Luis Valle 2017 Archaeological Demography and “Cultural Origins” in the Northeastern Peruvian Montane Forest. Boletín de Arqueología PUCP 23, 57–93.Google Scholar
Church, Warren B., and von Hagen, Adriana 2008 Chachapoyas: Cultural Development at an Andean Cloud Forest Crossroads. In Handbook of South American Archaeology, edited by Silverman, Helaine and Isbell, William H., pp. 903–926. Springer, New York.Google Scholar
Crandall, James M. 2012 Chachapoya Eschatology: Spaces of Death in the Northern Andes. Baessler-Archiv 60:39–55.Google Scholar
Cuenca Rodríguez, Jesús, Cainzos, José Carlos Fernández, González Ríos, Manuel J., Gómez, Javier Larios, Molina, Miguel López, Julián, José Luis Membrado, Lastra, Enrique Ogando, Pérez, Sergio Palacios, Trillo, Federico Ramírez, and Gottardi, Alejandro Tellez 2000 Técnica y formación en espeleología. Electronic document, http://www.espeleoastur.as/articulos/ESPELEO.pdf, accessed August 20, 2018.Google Scholar
Douglass, Matthew, Lin, Sam, and Chodoronek, Michael 2015 The Application of 3D Photogrammetry for In-Field Documentation of Archaeological Features. Advances in Archaeological Practice 3:136–152.Google Scholar
Epstein, Lori, and Toyne, J. Marla 2015 When Space Is Limited: A Spatial Exploration of Pre-Hispanic Chachapoya Mortuary and Ritual Microlandscape. In Theoretical Approaches to Analysis and Interpretation of Commingled Human Remains, edited by Osterholtz, Anna J., pp. 95–124. Springer, Cham, Switzerland.Google Scholar
Erickson, Susan N. 2006 Eastern Han Dynasty Cliff Tombs of Santai Xian, Sichuan Province. Journal of East Asian Archaeology 5 (1):401–469.Google Scholar
Evans, Damian H., Fletcher, Roland J., Pottier, Christophe, Chevance, Jean-Baptiste, Soutif, Dominique, Tan, Boun Suy, Im, Sokrithy, Ea, Darith, Tin, Tina, and Kim, Samnang 2013 Uncovering Archaeological Landscapes at Angkor Using Lidar. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 (31): 12595–12600.Google Scholar
Fabre, Olivier 2008a Synthèse sur l'occupation préhispanique des grottes du département d'amazonas / Síntesis sobre la ocupación prehispánica de las cuevas del departamento de Amazonas. Bulletin ECA-GSBM Chaquil 2006 and Santiago 2007:85–93.Google Scholar
Fabre, Olivier 2008b Carpona, site funéraire chachapoya et inca. Archéologia 453:50–57.Google Scholar
Fabre, Olivier 2008c Ocupación prehispánica de las cuevas del departamento de Amazonas. Boletín de Lima 152:31–50.Google Scholar
Fabre, Olivier, Guyot, Jean Loup, Gismondi, Rodolfo Salas, Pizarro, Manuel Malaver, and Maniero, Ermanno 2008 Los chachapoya de la región de Soloco: Chaquil, del sitio de hábitat a la cueva funeraria. Bulletin de l'Institut Français d’Études Andines 37:271–292.Google Scholar
Guengerich, Anna 2014 Monte Viudo: Residential Architecture and the Everyday Production of Space in a Chachapoya Community. PhD dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Chicago, Chicago.Google Scholar
Guengerich, Anna 2015 Settlement Organization and Architecture in Late Intermediate Period Chachapoyas, Northeastern Peru. Latin American Antiquity 26:362–381.Google Scholar
Guyot, Jean Loup 2008 Introducción. Bulletin ECA-GSBM Chaquil 2006 and Santiago 2007:5–7.Google Scholar
Haefke, Brandon J., Spiers, Anna I., Miller, William R., and Lowman, Margret D. 2013 Tardigrades in the Canopy: Using Double Rope Techniques to Conduct Sampling Along Vertical Transects. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 116:119–124.Google Scholar
Henrikson, Lael Suzann, and Camp, Amanda M. 2015 Evaluating the Physical Effects of Sport Climbing on Archaeological Sites. Advances in Archaeological Practice 3:153–165.Google Scholar
Herrera, Alexander 2007 Social Landscapes and Community Identity: The Social Organisation of Space in the North-Central Andes. In Socialising Complexity: Structure, Interaction and Power in Archaeological Discourse, edited by Kohring, Sheila and Wynne-Jones, Stephanie, pp. 161–185. Oxbow Books, Oxford.Google Scholar
Herrmann, Nicholas 2002 GIS Applied to Bioarchaeology: An Example from the Rio Talgua Caves in Northeast Honduras. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 64:17–22.Google Scholar
Hogg, Alan G., Hua, Quan, Blackwell, Paul G., Niu, Mu, Buck, Caitlin E., Guilderson, Thomas P., Heaton, Timothy J., Palmer, Jonathan G., Reimer, Paula J., Reimer, Ron W., Turney, Christian S. M., and Zimmerman, Susan R. H. 2013 SHCal13 Southern Hemisphere Calibration, 0–50,000 Years cal BP. Radiocarbon 55:1889–1903.Google Scholar
Kambesis, Patricia 2007 The Importance of Cave Exploration to Scientific Research. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 69:46–58.Google Scholar
Kauffmann Doig, Federico, and Ligabue, Giancarlo 2003 Los Chachapoya(s): Moradores ancestrales de los Andes amazónicos peruanos. Universidad Alas Peruanas, Lima.Google Scholar
Knabb, Kyle A., Mohammad, Najjar, and Levy, Thomas E. 2015 Characterizing the Rural Landscape during the Iron Age and Roman Period (ca. 1200 B.C.–A.D. 400): An Intensive Survey of Wadi Al-Feidh, Southern Jordan. Journal of Field Archaeology 40:365–380.Google Scholar
Koschmieder, Klaus 2012 Jucusbamba: Investigaciones arqueológicas y motivos Chachapoya en el norte de la Provincia de Luya, Departamento Amazonas, Perú. Tarea Asociación Gráfica Educativa, Lima.Google Scholar
Koschmieder, Klaus, and Gaither, Catherine 2010 Tumbas de guerreros chachapoya en abrigos rocosos de la provincia de Luya, departamento de Amazonas. Arqueología y Sociedad 22:9–38.Google Scholar
Laman, Timothy G. 1995 Safety Recommendations for Climbing Rain Forest Trees with “Single Rope Technique.” Biotropica 27:406–409.Google Scholar
Maher, Joe 2006 Canopy Access: Beyond Basic Single Rope Technique. Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation, pp. 1–11. Electronic document, http://www.treeclimbercoalition.org/pdfs/cfr.pdf, accessed August 20, 2018.Google Scholar
Man, Wong How 1991 Hanging Coffins of the Bo People. Archaeology 44 (5):64–67.Google Scholar
Mantha, Alexis 2009 Territoriality, Social Boundaries and Ancestor Veneration in the Central Andes of Peru. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 28:158–176.Google Scholar
Martí Puig, Andrés 2004 El Proyecto Ukhupacha: Expedición espeleo-arqueológica en Perú. Subterránea 21:40–45.Google Scholar
Martí Puig, Andrés 2013 Técnicas de progresión vertical: Aplicaciones científicas y deportivas. Proyecto Ukhupacha, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain; Petzl Foundation, Crolles, France. Electronic document, https://issuu.com/reegmo/docs/manual_tecnicas_de_progresion_verti, accessed August 20, 2018.Google Scholar
McCurley, Loui 2016 Professional Rope Access: A Guide to Working Safely at Height. John Wiley & Sons, New York.Google Scholar
McNatt, Logan 1996 Cave Archaeology of Belize. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 58:81–99.Google Scholar
Morales Gamarra, Ricardo 2002 Los Pinchudos, arquitectura funeraria en Rio Abiseo, San Martin: Parte I. Arkinka 76:92–101.Google Scholar
Morales Gamarra, Ricardo, Alvarez, L. V., Church, Warren B., and Tello, Luis Coronado 2002 Los Pinchudos: Un estudio preliminar de su población. Sian 12:3–7.Google Scholar
Moyes, Holley 2002 The Use of GIS in the Spatial Analysis of an Archaeological Cave Site. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 64:9–16.Google Scholar
Muscutt, Keith 1987 A Trophy Head Pictograph from the Peruvian Amazon. In Rock Art Papers, Vol. 4, edited by Hedges, Ken, pp. 155–160. San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego, California.Google Scholar
Muscutt, Keith 1998 Warrior of the Clouds: A Lost Civilization in the Upper Amazon of Peru. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Nystrom, Kenneth C., Buikstra, Jane E., and Muscutt, Keith 2010 Chachapoya Mortuary Behavior: A Consideration of Method and Meaning. Chungará: Revista de Antropología Chilena 42:477–495.Google Scholar
Ojeda, Hillary 2015 Polish Speleologist Remains Trapped in Chachapoyas Cave. Peru This Week. https://www.livinginperu.com/polish-speleologist-remains-trapped-in-chachapoyas-cave-107734/, accessed October 2, 2015.Google Scholar
Puig Castell, Jordi 2011 Las cuerdas de Ukhupacha al servicio de Machu Picchu. In Perú Mágico II: Homenaje a Machu Picchu, edited by Villavicencio, Maritza, pp. 63–79. Centro Cultural España, Estruendomudo, Lima.Google Scholar
Pulgar Vidal, Javier 1967 Geografía de Perú: Las ocho regiones naturales del Perú. Editorial Ausonia, Lima.Google Scholar
Reimer, Paula J., Edouard, Bard, Bayliss, Alex, Beck, J. Warren, Blackwell, Paul G., Ramsey, Christopher Bronk, Buck, Caitlin E., Cheng, Hai, Edwards, R. Lawrence, Friedrich, Michael, Grootes, Pieter M., Guilderson, Thomas P., Haflidason, Haflidi, Hajdas, Irka, Hatté, Christine, Heaton, Timothy J., Hoffmann, Dirk L., Hogg, Alan G., Hughen, Konrad A., Kaiser, K. Felix, Kromer, Bernd, Manning, Sturt W., Niu, Mu, Reimer, Ron W., Richards, David A., Scott, E. Marian, Southon, John R., Staff, Richard A., Turney, Christian S. M., and van der Plicht, Johannes 2013 IntCal13 and Marine13 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves 0–50,000 Years cal BP. Radiocarbon 55:1869–1887.Google Scholar
Reinhard, Johan 1985 Sacred Mountains: An Ethno-Archaeological Study of High Andean Ruins. Mountain Research and Development 5:299–317.Google Scholar
Reinhard, Johan, and Ceruti, Maria Constanza 2005 Sacred Mountains, Ceremonial Sites, and Human Sacrifice among the Incas. Archaeoastronomy 19:1–43.Google Scholar
Ruiz Estrada, Arturo 2008 Las cavernas y el poblamiento prehispánico de la provincia de Chachapoyas. Arqueología: Investigaciones Sociales 7 (20):35–62.Google Scholar
Ruiz Estrada, Arturo 2009 Sobre las formas de sepultamiento prehispánico en Kuelap, Amazonas. Arqueología y Sociedad 20:1–16.Google Scholar
Schjellerup, Inge 1997 Incas and Spaniards in the Conquest of Chachapoyas: Archaeological and Ethnohistorical Research in the Northeastern Andes of Peru. GOTARC Series B, Gothenburg Archaeological Theses 7. Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.Google Scholar
Schjellerup, Inge, Sorensen, Mikael Kamp, Espinoza, Carolina, Quipuscoa, Victor, and Peña, Victor 2003 Los valles olvidados: Pasado y presente en la utilización de recursos en la Ceja de Selva, Perú / The Forgotten Valleys: Past and Present in the Utilization of Resources in the Ceja de Selva, Peru. Ethnographic Monographs Vol. 1. National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Smith, Neil G., Passone, Luca, Al-Said, Said, Al-Farhan, Mohamed, and Levy, Thomas E. 2014 Drones in Archaeology: Integrated Data Capture, Processing, and Dissemination in the Al-Ula Valley, Saudi Arabia. Near Eastern Archaeology 77:176–181.Google Scholar
Stirn, Matthew A. 2014 Why All the Way Up There? Mountain and High-Altitude Archaeology. SAA Archaeological Record 14 (2):7–10.Google Scholar
Straus, Lawrence Guy 1990 Underground Archaeology: Perspectives on Caves and Rockshelters. Archaeological Method and Theory 2:255–304.Google Scholar
Toyne, J. Marla, and Anzellini, Armando 2017 Sociedad, identidad, y variedad en los mausoleos de La Petaca, Chachapoyas. Boletín de Arqueología PUCP 23, 231–257.Google Scholar
Toyne, J. Marla, Church, Warren B., Tello, Jose Luis Coronado, and Gamarra, Ricardo Morales 2017 Exploring Imperial Expansion Using an Isotopic Analysis of Paleodietary and Paleomobility Indicators in Chachapoyas, Peru. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 162:51–72.Google Scholar
Toyne, J. Marla, and Valencia, Danny Gonzales 2014 Prospección e investigación de contextos arqueológicos y funerarios del sitio arqueológico de La Petaca (PALP). Final report submitted to the Ministerio de Cultura de Peru, Lima.Google Scholar
Uomini, Natalie T. 2016 Archaeology in Karst Areas. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, Supplementary Issues 60 (2):129–138.Google Scholar
von Hagen, Adriana, and Guillen, Sonia 1998 Tombs with a View. Archaeology 51 (2):48–54.Google Scholar
Wiener, Charles 1880 Pérou et Bolivie: Récit de Voyage. Hachette & Compagnie, Paris.Google Scholar
Wernke, Steven A., Hernández, Carla, Marcone, Giancarlo, Ore, Gabriela, Rodriquez, Aurelio, and Traslaviña, Abel 2016 Beyond the Basemap: Multiscalar Survey through Aerial Photogrammetry in the Andes. In Mobilizing the Past for a Digital Future: The Potential of Digital Archaeology, edited by Averett, Erin Walcek, Gordon, Jody Michael, and Counts, Derek B., pp. 251–278. Digital Press at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.Google Scholar
Wrobel, Gabriel D., Helmke, Christophe, and Freiwald, Carolyn 2014 A Case Study of Funerary Cave Use from Je'reftheel, Central Belize. In The Bioarchaeology of Space and Place: Ideology, Power, and Meaning in Maya Mortuary Contexts, edited by Wrobel, Gabriel D., pp. 77–106. Springer: New York.Google Scholar