Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri (Puno)

Chapter 3 Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri Henry Tantaleán Introduction It was at this time that the property where the site was located was claimed by the homeowner’s association “Pueblo Libre,” aided by the municipality of Melgar. The municipality had sold lots to people in this association who threatened to construct houses. This was denounced by the local INC representative in Ayaviri and conirmed by the director of the INC-PUNO, Dr. Rolando Paredes, on September 4, 1998. Due to the circumstances, it was necessary to immediately intervene at the site and establish an effective presence. In reality, the site had already been badly disturbed by the mining of middens to make adobes. The site’s northeast section had been badly dug for adobe materials, resulting in a number of archaeological remains left on the surface including fragments of ceramics, lithics, and animal bones. The abundance of early ceramic sherds on the surface of the site indicated a major Formative period occupation, up to then poorly studied in the region. The diagnostic pottery suggested the existence of an intensive occupation from the irst sedentary altiplano societies up to the Inca period. We had hoped that an excavation at the site, even a small one, would relect the social and historical processes that developed in this zone. Here, I present a description of this work, a synthesis of the recovered materials, including the ceramics, and a reconstruction of the cultural occupations that we can infer from this small investigation. The archaeological site of Balsaspata or Pueblo Libre, in Ayaviri, Department of Puno, was investigated by the author on September 8–30, 1998. The work was conducted as part of a salvage excavation by the Instituto Nacional de Cultura of Peru (INC) as a result of the rapid destruction of the site area. The importance of the site was suggested by the large quantities of decorated ceramic fragments, bone, lithics, and carved stone. With the objective to verify the site’s actual size and chronology, the author and a small team composed of Carmen Pérez Maestro, Eduardo Arizaca and two local assistants conducted archaeological research at the site. Although no information about the site existed in the literature, the people of Ayaviri recognized it as a site, and there was a museum in the municipality where objects from the site were collected. Likewise, Messrs. Italo Oberti and Jorge Calero Flores had requested that the INC declare the site as cultural patrimony of the nation. Moreover, the site’s importance had been recognized by the then-students of archaeology at the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cuzco Eduardo Arizaca and Jorge Calero (Arizaca et al. 1995:21; Calero 1998; Fernández 1998:38). 49 50 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Pucarani Cangallepata Willaqollo AYAVIRI Pesqowañuna Huancasayapata Antaymarka Qompicancha Kolqueparque Qaqachupa iri Balsaspata R yav io A Orquyo Qesqoyo Figure 3.1. Location of Balsaspata and other archaeological sites in the area of Ayaviri. The black pentagons mark the Formative sites and the gray pentagons mark sites of another periods. The map blocks are 4.0 km on a side. Location and Geography of Balsaspata The archaeological site of Balsaspata or Pueblo Libre is on the outskirts of the town of Ayaviri, at the edge of a new neighborhood called Pueblo Libre. It is on the right margin of the Río Ayaviri, in the province of Melgar (Fig. 3.1). The site is delimited on the east by the Pueblo Libre neighborhood, on the north by a dirt road that runs parallel to the river, and to the south and west by the asphalt Juliaca-Cuzco highway (Fig. 3.2). Later reconnaissance indicated that the site extends across the asphalt road to the hills such that the road cuts the site into two. The site is in the area referred to by Luis Lumbreras (1981) as the South Central Andes. Although the deinition of this cultural area has been questioned (Burger et al. 2000), we continue to use this framework. The name Balsaspata suggests that this area was where they crossed the river, perhaps with small boats. The area of Ayaviri, like Pukara to the south, forms part of the same hydrological drainage, a natural route between the Cuzco region and Lake Titicaca. Today, the site is a medium-sized mound that has been badly altered by modern soil mining and other human activities. Methodology Work began in September 1998 with a surface collection of the diagnostic ceramic material from the entire site. The surface was so badly damaged that it was not necessary to carry out a systematic collection as originally planned. We made a sketch map of the site (Fig. 3.3) from which we were able to deine and locate the zones where we would conduct investigations. We also drew the sectors that were obviously disturbed. This methodology was created to do an archaeological evaluation of the site—to assess its state of preservation, its extent, its func- Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán 51 Figure 3.2. The site is located in the center of the image, between the river and the house compound in the foreground. Photograph taken by the author at the time of excavations, September 1998. Figure 3.3. Sketch map of the site area. 52 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III tion, the existence of structures, and the relative age of these features, and to deine the successive occupations through time. We excavated test pits in areas with and without obvious cultural materials on the surface. The test pits were cardinally oriented and measured 1 × 1 m, with the exception of Unit 01, which was 1 × 2 m. This larger pit was intended to deine the successive and superimposed prehispanic occupations (with the goal to get a good stratigraphic column), as well as to characterize these occupations from diagnostic pottery from each period. Even though this was an emergency rescue excavation, we were able to recover quite a bit of information from these excavations. The units were excavated in natural levels. However, when we encountered the remains of structures or other features with ceramics or other associated materials, we immediately subdivided the natural levels into arbitrary ones in order to preserve chronological information. Description of the Excavated Units Before we excavated the test units, we studied the proiles made by the road construction on the site’s northern side. There, we could identify evidence of prehispanic occupation that included possible structures. We also took into account elevations of the mound, scatters of artifacts and so forth. With these observations, we excavated eight units (described below). Description of Unit 01 This unit was located in the proile on the north side of the site that was exposed by the road construction. The proile appeared to have cut through numerous structures and had a large quantity of cultural material. Even so, in this sector we found a major prehispanic occupation, deined by an immense quantity of midden that, overall, was part of a homogeneous level of highdensity artifacts. In this unit, after removing a pair of levels, we found a very deep level with Formative pottery including Pukara (400 BC), Cusipata, and Qaluyu, the latter obviously indicating an earlier component. This excavation unit reached a depth of 3 m, ending with a sterile level of yellowish clay (Fig. 3.4). Surface level (registry number 101). The surface materials include a large quantity of Qaluyu Incised pottery, along with worked bone, camelid bone and lithic debris (Figs. 3.5, 3.6). Stratum A (registry number 102). Level A has little material, taking into account its size. It most likely represents the abandonment phase of the site (Fig. 3.7). Figure 3.4. Unit 01, south proile. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.5. Ceramic key. Figure 3.6. Qaluyu-style Incised tazón from surface of Unit 01. Figure 3.7. Fragments of Collao-style vessels. 53 54 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.8. Formative period vessels. Figure 3.9. Formative jar forms. Stratum B (registry number 103). This level has undecorated pottery, ceramics with micaceous clay, lithics (obsidian and lint), camelid bones and lithic debris (Fig. 3.8). Stratum C, level 1 (registry number 104). This level has early Formative pottery characterized by red slip with mica. There is much burned camelid bone as well as post-ire burned pottery and a variety of lithic lakes (Fig. 3.9). Stratum C, level 2 (registry number 107). This level has Formative period Qaluyu and Pukara, camelid bones, obsidian and so forth. Many of the ceramic fragments are very large, including bases, rims and one bowl that is 40% complete. This is a classic Pukara occupation (Figs. 3.10–3.17). Stratum C, level 3 (registry number 111). This level has pottery, lithics and camelid bone. This level has some Qaluyu diagnostics (Figs. 3.18–3.21). Stratum C, level 4 (registry number 114). This level has incised and painted Formative pottery that is most likely Qaluyu but with some similarities to Cusipata. We also discovered a molded fragment and a dark surface fragment with incisions. The level also contained lithic debris (obsidian and lint), and worked bone (Figs. 3.22–3.25). Stratum D (registry number 116). This stratum has neckless ollas, painted and incised Formative fragments, obsidian, camelid bone in abundance, and obsidian (Figs. 3.26–3.31). Stratum E (registry number 125). This stratum does not have as much material as the preceding one, but there is a fair amount of neckless ollas as well as incised (ine and thick incisions) pottery (Figs. 3.32–3.35). Stratum F, level 1 (registry number 128). This stratum and level has plainwares, neckless ollas, lithics and one complete obsidian point, lithic lakes and cores and camelid bones (Fig. 3.36). Stratum F, level 2 (registry number 130). This level has plainware pottery, a low density of camelid bones, plus a lot of obsidian (Figs. 3.37, 3.38). Stratum G (registry number 131). There are virtually no artifacts in this level. There is some carbon and burned soil. Stratum F, level 3 (registry number 132). This level has small carbon lecks, pottery and bone although the density is quite low. This is an ash lens, the remains of burnt vegetal material. Stratum I (registry number 134). This has a small quantity of artifacts and carbon. Stratum J. This is a sterile level. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.10. Formative period vessels. Figure 3.11. Formative period tazones. 55 56 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.12. Formative period tazones. Figure 3.14. Formative period vessels. Figure 3.13. Formative period tazones. Figure 3.15. Formative period vessels. The top two fragments are Pukara in style. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.16. Fragments of Qaluyu Incised. Figure 3.17. Formative tazón. Figure 3.18. Formative vessels. 57 58 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.19. Formative vessels including Qaluyu Incised. Figure 3.20. Formative vessels including Qaluyu Incised. Figure 3.21. Base of Formative vessel with painted decoration. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.22. Formative vessels including Qaluyu Incised and Painted. Figure 3.23. Formative vessels. Figure 3.24. Formative vessels. 59 60 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.25. Formative vessels including Qaluyu Incised. Figure 3.26. Formative vessels including Qaluyu Painted. The bottom fragment is deined by Calero (1998) as Ayacwira. Figure 3.27. Formative vessels including Qaluyu Incised. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.28. Formative period neckless ollas. Figure 3.30. Formative vessels including Incised and Painted Qaluyu and possible Pukara vessels (the two in the upper right-hand corner). 61 Figure 3.29. Formative period neckless ollas and tazón base. Figure 3.31. Formative vessels including Qaluyu. Fragments of Qaluyu Painted vessels (except for the fragment in the upper left-hand corner) possibly related to Ayacwira style. 62 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.32. Qaluyu-style tazones. Figure 3.33. Fragments of Qaluyu Incised vessels. Figure 3.34. Formative period neckless ollas. Figure 3.35. Formative period neckless olla. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.36. Formative vessels including a neckless olla. Figure 3.37. Formative period tazones and neckless ollas. 63 64 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.38. Qaluyu Painted vessels. Figure 3.39. Qaluyu-style tazón with incised decoration. Description of Unit 02 We put Unit 02 (1 × 1 m) in the north area of the site close to the road parallel to the river in a sort of “island” inside the disturbed area. Surface level (registry number 105). There is abundant material including pottery, bone, camelid bones and some lithics. Stratum A (registry number 106). This has a regular quantity of pottery and bone fragments. There is a camelid mandible. Stratum B (registry number 108). This stratum has fragments of incised geometric Pukara pottery. There is also crude pottery with red slip as well as camelid bones and polishing stones (Figs. 3.39, 3.40). Stratum C (registry number 109). This stratum has red slipped pottery. There are also some pieces of burned soil with grass impressions, camelid bones and chert lakes. We found some scoria of an unidentiied metal (Fig. 3.41). Figure 3.40. Fragments of Formative vessels including Qaluyu Painted and an appliqué with incisions. Stratum D (registry number 110). This stratum has coarse, burnt pottery, lakes, and a lot of camelid bone. There are also many small fragments of carbon (Fig. 3.42). Stratum E (registry number 112). This stratum has pottery, broken bone, some lithic material, and a fragment of thick-incised blackware (Figs. 3.43, 3.44). Stratum F (registry number 113). This has a fragment of a painted black and beige tazón, a lot of burned plainware with mica and large sand, camelid bones, obsidian lakes, and polished bone. There is very little carbon. There is a piece of clay with mica (Figs. 3.45, 3.46). Stratum G (registry number 115). There is little cultural material here except for a large quantity of obsidian. There are some small fragments of carbon (Fig. 3.47). Below this stratum is the sterile sand of the river. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán (upper left) Figure 3.41. Fragments of Qaluyu Incised. (above) Figure 3.42. Formative tazones, jar and neckless olla. (left) Figure 3.43. Fragments of Formative vessels including Qaluyu Painted and Incised. Figure 3.44. Formative tazón and two neckless ollas. 65 66 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Description of Unit 03 Figure 3.45. Qaluyu-style tazón. This was located in an elevated sector of the site. On the surface there is much evidence of looting of possible tombs. For this reason, we chose an area that was least disturbed. We wanted to conirm whether or not these elevations were in fact cultural mounds or if they were natural. This test pit was not deep; at around 20 cm we found a circular cist made in the form of a Collao-Inka tomb. We did not continue with this excavation. Description of Unit 04 We placed this unit in the northern proile of the site to deine the same characteristics as in Units 01 and 02. We also wanted to deine a stratum of ieldstones and some semi-shaped stones that we noticed in the proile that corresponded to archaeological structures. This turned out to be disturbed stones with associated cultural materials, including some late (Collao) pottery fragments. This stratum represented a destruction episode on the highest part of the site. Below this stratum we found an intact stratum that had a cut stone wall associated with some Formative pottery. Figure 3.46. Qaluyu-style tazón. Figure 3.47. Qaluyu-style tazón with incised decoration. Surface level (registry number 119). There are few lithic and ceramic materials. There is a cut stone approximately 22 × 26 cm. Stratum A (registry number 120). This level had modern objects, prehispanic pottery and obsidian. There are fragments of Pukara Incised Geometric. Stratum B, level 1 (registry number 121). This level has Collao pottery, Inca plates, and worked obsidian. In the lower part of the level there is a large quantity of Cusipata black-on-white pottery (Fig. 3.48). Stratum B, level 2 (registry number 122). This level has incised Qaluyu and plainware pottery, camelid bone and obsidian (Fig. 3.49). Stratum C (registry number 123). This level has plainware pottery and obsidian. There is one piece of worked bone, some bird bone and a lot of carbon. Stratum D (registry number 124). This unit has small pieces of carbon mixed with the soil. There is a wall built with large stone. There is a compact loor made with yellow clay associated with the wall on one side. The loor was clean but on the other side there is Formative pottery including painted blackwares, possibly Cusipata. This is a semi-subterranean structure built with cut stones (Figs. 3.50, 3.51). Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.48. Formative tazones with painted decoration. Figure 3.50. Qaluyu-style tazón. 67 Figure 3.49. Qaluyu Incised vessel. 68 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.51. View of the excavation of Unit 04. One can see the wall built with semi-cut stones and to the right a yellow clay loor (with the arrow). Qaluyu fragments were found on this loor; below the loor was sterile river sand. The scale is 20 cm. Description of Unit 05 This is located on the northern part of the site. The irst two layers or strata of the unit, down to 1 m below, were disturbed by heavy machinery. Below these disturbed levels, we ind similar archaeological levels, though with lower densities than Units 01 and 02. Surface level (registry number 127). This is a disturbed stratum with Inca and Cusipata vessel fragments. This is probably a modern dump mixed with archaeological midden (Fig. 3.52). Figure 3.52. Surface fragments including: a, local Inca; b, Collao plate; c, d, two Qaluyu Painted fragments; e, f, two Qaluyu Incised fragments. Stratum A, level 1 (registry number 129). This stratum has ceramic fragments, camelid bone and lithics (Fig. 3.53). Stratum A, level 2 (registry number 133). This stratum has few ceramic fragments, animal bone, lithics, and small pieces of carbon (Fig. 3.54). Stratum B (registry number 135). This stratum has a few ceramic fragments, animal bone, lithics, and small pieces of carbonized vegetal matter. Stratum C (registry number 137). This was a very sparse level. There was one Qaluyu cream and black fragment with geometric motifs. There was also some obsidian (Fig. 3.55). Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán 69 Figure 3.53. Qaluyu-style tazón. Figure 3.54. Qaluyu-style fragment. Figure 3.55. Qaluyu-style vessel with painted decoration. Description of Unit 06 level that began with a mixture of Pukara and Qaluyu. In this last stratum we found a wall made with semi-cut stones that seems to be contemporary with Qaluyu in its earliest phase. This was associated with the wall in Unit 05. However, this structure did not have a related loor as in Unit 05 but there was some gray clay that could have functioned as a loor material. Under this gray stratum we found a sterile loor, made with alluvial sand probably obtained from the river that has a similar sand material composed of large-grained yellowish sand. This unit was placed on the extreme west side of the site where there was evidence of heavy equipment disturbance. About 1.5 m were removed from the surface. The intent of this unit was to compare this area of the site with the other units. The unit was deep but it did not have much material and we found nothing signiicant. We were able to show that, along with Unit 04, this area was peripheral to the main occupation of the site. Description of Unit 07 We put this unit on the high side of the second high spot on the site, located west of the other high area where Unit 03 was excavated. This unit coincided with the external southern side of a cist tomb, which was deined from a cut into the mound. It is typically Collao in style (AD 1100–1450), although it is possible that it was Inca in date. Below this stratum we found a Formative Surface level (registry number 138). The surface here contained some late pottery. Stratum A (registry number 139). This stratum has fragments of local Inca pottery. In the north wall of the unit we see the tomb. This is a cist made with uncut ieldstones with an oval or circular form. The tomb was sealed with a slab and soil ill. The stones used in the tomb are calcareous (limestone) that do not appear near the site. The closest limestone is about 2 km from the site (Fig. 3.56). 70 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III Figure 3.56. Local Inca-style vessels. Stratum B (registry number 142). Just below stratum A there is Inca pottery and one fragment of Formative ware, camelid bone, and a fragment of a worked bone (Fig. 3.57). Stratum C (registry number 144). Pottery with red slip (Pukara), camelid bones, burned bones and a feline claw (Fig. 3.58). Stratum D, level 1 (registry number 145). This unit has the well-constructed wall made with uncut stones similar to the one in Unit 04. This stratum contains a lot of fragments of animal bones and chipped stone. There are some painted black over cream Qaluyu 2 (following Steadman 1995) fragments clearly associated with this level. There are also small fragments of carbon (Fig. 3.59). Stratum D, level 2 (registry number 147). Under the wall with the large stones was a supporting wall made with small Figure 3.57. Formative vessels including Qaluyu. rocks. There is virtually no cultural material associated with this stratum. A sterile level is found under the wall. Description of Unit 08 Unit 08 was excavated to verify if the eastern sector, which was mined for soil and where there was such a high concentration of materials, still retained some intact archaeological deposits. This unit conirmed that there was little remaining. This unit consisted of the irst stratum with disturbed material and a second stratum with some Pukara. We unfortunately did not ind that this area was very deep, reaching only 1 m; here we found the sterile stratum consisted of the yellowish river sand that was clean and loose. Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán 71 Figure 3.58. Formative vessels including Pukara. Figure 3.59. Formative vessels including Qaluyu Painted and Incised. Human Prehispanic Occupation at Balsaspata tion of diverse goods, such as textiles, indicated by the discovery of spindle whorls made from modiied potsherds and camelid bone tools for weaving (Tantaleán 2005: Figs. 7, 8). We also found a large quantity of pottery polishers and other tools used for making incisions in pottery. Likewise, there is a proliferation of obsidian, including waste material most likely the result of point and other tool manufacturing. There were also a large quantity of cooking ollas and grinding stones. All of these diverse elements in the material culture indicate specialized production for internal consumption and external trade (Burger et al. 2000). We also note that in the area of Balsaspata there are many raised ields. Our results agree with Erickson (1988) and Stanish (2006) in that this technology was most likely in use by the Qaluyu period. In the adjacent zone northeast of Balsaspata, we The occupation at Balsaspata began in the Early Formative circa 1500 BCE when the population was still using Archaic projectile points alongside early Qaluyu pottery (most notably neckless ollas). In this period, we see a settlement with a concentration of animal bones, such as camelid and deer, that we interpret as increased consumption of these resources. The site was emerging as a center in the region and was found near the river edge of Ayaviri. This possibly occurred simultaneously with the site of Qaqachupa (Burger et al. 2000), a site close to Balsaspata on the other side of the river. Based upon the recovered materials, we can infer that during this early period there existed a division of labor for the produc- 72 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III N Figure 3.60. Base of Unit 07. One can see the wall built with semi-cut stones and to the right a yellow clay loor. Qaluyu fragments were found on this loor; below the loor was sterile river sand. Figure 3.61. Fragments of a ceramic style called Ayacwira (Calero 1998), collected on the site’s surface. were able to recognize a large raised ield area that indicates agricultural production for local consumption. At Balsaspata, we also observe a large quantity of Qaluyu pottery and its variants, principally decoration with paint and incisions.1 Here we note similarities with the Marcavalle style, also mentioned by other investigators (Mohr Chávez 1977; Lumbreras 1981; Burger et al. 2000). These investigators mention trade between these two polities as an explanation for this pattern. This also explains the presence of obsidian, a resource that comes largely from the Chivay source in Cotahuasi, Arequipa (Burger et al. 2000). This obsidian is abundant at Balsaspata during the Formative occupation (Tantaleán 2005: Fig. 9). As demonstrated by Burger et al. (2000), the Ayaviri zone was in an intermediate area between the Cuzco and Titicaca regions. As such, it was inluenced by both areas, as indicated by the material remains. As we have seen, the Formative period occupation at Balsaspata also documents important architectural structures with walls made from large cut stone blocks. The structures are rectangular in shape with yellowish and gray clay loors associated with Qaluyu pottery fragments (Figs. 3.51, 3.60). This pattern is similar to what Amanda Cohen has discovered in the site of Huatacoa, located in the lower Ayaviri Valley (Cohen 2010; Plourde 2006). The worked stone walls and carefully prepared loors indicate an intensive social activity apart from domestic labor. These constructions most likely were used for nondomestic, communal activities. In this period, apart from the typical Qaluyu pottery styles, we found some atypical pieces that we are just beginning to understand (Fig. 3.26). During the time in which we excavated at Balsaspata, a local investigator (Calero 1998) named a style “Ayacwira,” tentatively placed in the Early Regional Development period, following Pukara. This hypothesis is not supported by the stratigraphy. His studies were based upon typological analysis of surface materials. If this hypothesis is true, there would be a society later than Pukara that would explain the hiatus that one sees in the chronology of the northern basin. Our excavations do not conirm this proposition, as this style of pottery is associated with the latest Qaluyu pottery and closely linked with Pukara. This ceramic style comes in various forms at the site with the principal characteristic the use of painted decoration with black lines, almost always straight, that delimit spaces of yellow or red over an orange slip (Fig. 3.61). Based upon the stratigraphic evidence, I suggest that this is a style that Archaeological Excavation at Balsaspata, Ayaviri—Tantaleán Figure 3.62. Inca arybalo found at Balsaspata. Recovered by Eduardo Arizaca. is contemporary with Late Qaluyu and Early Pukara. It is locally produced, but we do not know if it was produced at Balsaspata. We also have fragments of a style called Cusipata (deined by Edward Franquemont, 1986). This is located chronologically between Qaluyu and Pukara although it has been found stratigraphically with the former (Mujica 1987:25). During our excavations, we did not ind that Cusipata was associated with an isolated human occupation at the site. At Balsaspata, the majority of the Cusipata fragments were found mixed with the levels with the highest percentage of Qaluyu and Pukara polychromes. The best example of Cusipata pottery was recovered by Eduardo Arizaca, that, while found out of context, is the most complete ind of this type in the region (Tantaleán 2005: Fig. 13). There are Pukara materials found at Balsaspata but these were not recovered in particularly high quantities. The majority of these pieces were found mixed with the latest phases of Qaluyu. A big question is whether there is a Pukara domestic style that we have not identiied that, if found in quantity, would be considered an indication of a Pukara occupation. On the other hand, the Pukara polychrome can be considered a prestige good shared by elites (Goldstein 2000) while Balsaspata would have been a minor village during this period. 73 Figure 3.63. Inca-style plate found at Balsaspata. Recovered by Eduardo Arizaca. Our colleague Eduardo Arizaca informs us that some time ago the people removed a carved stela from the site that was in Pukara style. It is locally referred to as Ñakaj or Decapitator, a sculptural style associated with this culture.2 As we have described in an earlier article (Tantaleán and Pérez 1999), this and other material elements form part of a religious ideology that served the elite to justify and reproduce the material basis of society that supported them. This group utilized the labor of the population to construct the great religious and secular structures of Pukara and its satellites, to control trade routes on a large scale, for other large-scale production such as raised ields and cochas, and to produce sumptuary objects that utilized the “oficial” Pukara style. The elite used these activities to maintain control, in effect “naturalizing” social inequalities. This all occurred with the emergence of the theocratic state in the northern basin that continued up to approximately AD 350. After this period there existed an apparent hiatus of 700 years until the appearance of cultural materials that are referred to as the Altiplano kingdoms that emerged around AD 1000. This hiatus—in which there is no archaeological occupation—has not been suficiently studied although there are some hypotheses to explain this (Lumbreras and Amat 1968; Mújica 1990; Stanish 74 Advances in Titicaca Basin Archaeology–III 2003). In spite of the lack of research in the area, we can say that the majority of sites with Pukara occupations were abandoned, and we cannot ind an “epigonal” period at sites like Balsaspata. The question is: where did the population that inhabited sites like Balsaspata and other Pukara settlements go? Likewise, as Pukara fell, Tiwanaku expanded throughout the Titicaca Basin. However, the northernmost Tiwanaku site with Tiwanaku IV and V is found at the site of Maravillas (Mujica 1990), in the heart of Pukara territory.3 The inluence of Tiwanaku cannot explain the disappearance or invasion of territory that was formerly occupied by Pukara. The explanation for the disappearance of Pukara materials in the region should be found in the society that produced them. We can explain the abandonment of these sites as a result of socioeconomic reasons such as the collapse of Pukara from internal contradictions and the creation of a new lifestyle and mode of production. We can surmise a drop in economic production and a transformation in the elite classes. There would be a disruption in the exchange of goods throughout the region, which would disrupt the low of Pukara materials. Stanish (2003:159) postulates that there was an epoch of drought that corresponds to the collapse of Pukara and, in turn, suggests the existence of a culture called “Early Huaña.” Obviously, much more work must be done to test whether such a culture exists in the Ayaviri area. Following the idea of drought postulated by Stanish, it is also possible that these ecological factors accelerated the change from a predominantly agricultural to a pastoral one. In this economic system, there were no population concentrations but rather smaller, dispersed settlements. In this respect, the lack of large sites does not negate the possibility of human occupation during this time period. The last prehispanic use at Balsaspata was a mortuary one, with tombs placed at the top of the mound. In spite of the destruction of the site, we can say that about one-third of the mound was covered with intact and disturbed tombs on the higher areas of the site. While the tradition of cist tombs is pre-Inca, we found much material in Inca style associated with these tombs, including Inca-Cuzco style. Eduardo Arizaca has shown us Inca pottery with Imperial Cuzco forms from the site (Figs. 3.62, 3.63). It is possible that Balsaspata had been selected as a cemetery area because of its location above the pampa. In conclusion, the site of Balsaspata and its previous human occupations that converted it into a cult place demonstrate the great continuity and success of the irst human occupations of the Ayaviri-Pukara Valley. Although the site has almost disappeared, we were able to recover some of its most important archaeological features, and investigate how different societies occupied the site, and how its natural and social resources were produced and consumed. We believe strongly that our work here, humble as it is was, yielded valuable information that will help other researchers complete the intriguing puzzle that is the prehistory of the northern Titicaca Basin. Acknowledgments I thank Chip Stanish for inviting me to publish this report and for translating it from my original in Spanish. Also, it is important to give thanks to Rolando Paredes Eyzaguirre (former director of Instituto Nacional de Cultura-Puno) who permitted me to excavate in Balsaspata. In the same way, Eduardo Arizaca and Carmen Pérez Maestro were the better company and brilliant archaeologists that I have there. My acknowledgments go also to Juan Roel who made the inal drawings presented here. Finally, Jill Rheinheimer helped me in a great way to ix many mistakes on my original paper. Notes 1. See Chávez Ballón (1950), Lumbreras and Amat (1968), and Steadman (1995) for a good description of Qaluyu pottery. 2. 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