Two series of Recuay mortuary sites from 200-700 AD in Callejon de Huaylas, Peru were analyzed for social rank. The later Pierina sites showed a more localized burial pattern than the Huaraz sites, which exhibited greater energy in tomb construction and symbols of common gods, suggesting a more unified society under distinct rulers. Analysis of the human remains at some Pierina sites found mostly equal proportions of male and female adults with some evidence of violence between communities.

1. Recuay Burial Practices: Rank Differentiation
Victor M.
University of Wisconsin
Two series of Recuay (AD 200 – 700, EIP) mortuary chambers were found in the Callejón de
Huaylas, Peru. These were analyzed from the perspective of social rank, territorial differentiation,
and rituals involved in the replacement or reinterment of body parts as a means of an elaborate
celebration in honor of the dead. The Pierina mortuary sites are later than those studied in Huaraz.
Their pattern of distribution and number of interred individuals hint of a more unique local community
expression than sites in Huaraz. On the other hand, at the Huaraz sites, the energy expended on
tomb construction and the distinct “stone-box” structures associated with the burial chamber suggest
a society unified under distinct rulers but sharing prestigious symbols of common gods (e.g., solar
deity, crested feline).
1.M. Justiniano excavates a funerary
chamber at Marca Jirca site near the city
of Huaraz, Peru.
2. The Santa River has formed the intermontane valley of Callejon de Huaylas, North
Central Highlands of Peru
Drawing from
the Recuay
ceramic style,
mortuary
practices,
architecture
and style of
stone
sculpture it is
assumed that
one of the
important
Recuay
centers was
located in the
interandine
valley of the
Callejon de
Huaylas. My
interest in this
region is
derived from
the research
that we did as
mitigation for
cultural
impacts from
the Pierina
gold mine.
Marca Jirca Funerary Complex
6. Excavations under boulders revealed
hidden funerary architecture
5. Upright stones or Huancas
marked subterranean burials
Archaeological investigations on the upper eastern hills of Huaraz have
uncovered a dense prehistoric occupation that belongs to several
cultural periods. One of the most interesting findings was Recuay
subterranean chambers (400-650 AD) found in Marca Jirca. They are
located at the base of a hill arranged under granodiorite boulders.
4. Archaeological sites
investigated next to the city of
Huaraz
Almost everything that
we know about Recuay
comes from tombs. Few
scientific studies have
documented funerary
practices.
Preliminary calculations for
Marca Jirca estimate that the
underground mortuary
architecture is distributed over
480 m2 (Fig.6). This is a well
preserved cemetery of which
only 1% of its extension has been
uncovered by archaeologists.
Finds of elite objects, complex
stone construction and human
remains indicate a baroque
ceremony in favor of ancestral
veneration.
7. Cross section showing double roof composed of stone slabs
10. Structure 5: Finds of drinking cups (goblets)
and tumbaga disks as personal elite adornments
8. Some stone box structures
contained grave goods
consisting of modeled kaolin
ceramics, and copper pins
associated to human teeth.
9. A crested feline mythological
animal is depicted on a crown pin
found in the funerary chamber
13. Elite Recuay
personage
15. An incomplete skeleton of a young
male individual (6 years old) presented
cranial deformation. The other skull had
cranial deformation too. Were they
offerings, human sacrifices?
11. Human bone fragments over a flat stone at structure 2,
ceremonial deposition?
14. Copper pin
associated with
powdered human
bone (S1 64354)
The principal chamber is large with fine architecture (see Figs.1 and 7) in relation
to the other stone box structures. However, the later Marca Jirca occupation
(Aquillpo) probably uncovered the chamber taking valuable objects and the
individual interred there. The Aquillpo people filled the chamber with dirt and 6
rustic jars or cantaros. Only a few broken artifacts were left behind like a golden
crown pin (Fig.9), fine gold laminates, and kaolin cups found on the chamber’s
floor, which was covered with fine white plaster. Interestingly, the stone boxes
accompanying the chamber were never opened and so the mortuary contents
were preserved. These also contained evidence of human offerings such as
partial skeletons of young individuals with cranial deformations (see Fig.15).
3.
12.
Archaeological data
from Marca Jirca could
confirm the political
importance of the
Huaraz area as a core
Recuay center with a
ruling class manifested
in the complexity of the
mortuary pattern.

2. and Ceremonies Beyond Death
Ponte
Madison
A view from the Hinterlands: subterranean chambers at Pierina
16. Thirteen sites with subterranean
chambers are distributed in two clusters:
north and south of the center of
Marenayoc; a multicomponent artificial
mound with a strong Recuay occupation.
This local pattern of burial settlement might
fit with other social, territorial and political
organization.
Age/MNI, Cochapampa PAn 5-43
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
0
0
.
5
-
1
.
5
2
.
5
-
3
.
5
4
.
5
-
5
.
5
7
1
2
Age
MNI
MNI
MNI, Sex and age, Ama PAn 5-34
0 10 20
Adult
Infant
Age
and
Sex
MNI
Sex Total
Sex Non-
determ.
Sex Male
Sex Female
17. Doorway connecting two chambers
18. Stone- line wall masonry from chambers
Quitapampa B, example of Burial Chamber Construction
19. Plan view and cross section 20. Before excavations
21. Funerary Ceramics
At Pierina variability exists in the Recuay burial
pattern: a simple burial deposited under boulders;
a single subterranean chamber; a cluster of
chambers under a common boulder roof; and
double chambers with an antechamber (Fig.19).
Although for many reasons all of them present
heavily disturbed contexts (i.e. veneration rites,
prehispanic tomb intrusion, modern agricultural
disturbance, and geological instability), in some
graves, goods (e.g., metals, ceramics) and human
bones were found.
Florencia Bracamonte, bioanhtropologist from the National University of
Trujillo,Peru, analyzed the human remains from the Pierina sites. Due to
disturbance, the skeletons were totality disarticulated. Even so, indicators of age,
sex and health status were obtained from the analysis. Biological data from seven
chambers (Sites 34, 49 and 38) account for 68 interred individuals. For some, the
recovered information was derived from only one bone. Except for Cochapampa,
the burial pattern as shown on Chart 1 corresponds to almost an equal proportion
of male and female adults. Age at death for adults fluctuates between 36-59 years
with an average of 38. Chambers with children, subadults and adults might be
interpreted as familial graves. Several adult bones had fractures and in one case, a
skull showed trepanation that successfully healed. Nevertheless, bones
demonstrate evidence of violence, possibly internecine warfare between
communities. Common pathologies included caries, premortem teeth loss, enamel
hypoplasia (poor nutrition), osteoarthritis (physical stress).
Chart 1
The Case of the Cochapampa Burial
•The Cochapampa mortuary structure was made
excavating the bedrock using a natural flat boulder as
a roof.
•Architectural components: three chambers with a
communal antechamber.
• In the antechamber an incomplete female skeleton
(35 -39 years old) was found. She was partially
articulated.
• Disturbed human remains were found in the
chambers (A, B and C).
• Twenty ceramic offerings consisting of figurines,
plates, kaolinite bowls, and also a black modeled
anthropomorphized vessel were found (see Fig. 21).
Other grave goods included crisocola beads, copper
disks, pins, corn kernels and a guinea pig (cuy).
• It is possible that the female individual and goods
were deposited after the interment of other bodies at
chambers A, B & C.
•Artifacts from the antechamber reflect Early Wari
influence (800 AD).
22. A partially articulated skeleton found in the antechamber.
Cochapampa PAn 5-43
23. Plan of Late Recuay (700-800 AD
funerary chamber at Cochapampa
•Fragmented fetal and infant bones (0.5 -1.5 years old) comprised the majority of individuals (see
chart 2).
•Adult age of death ranged from 35 to 44 years.
• Only adults were female.
• Disarticulated bones, highly disturbed or secondary interments.
• Bone taphonomy: has been exposed to environment.
•Red pigment (ochre, cinnabar?) on bone tissue (offerings).
•Burial entombment: mother-son relation.
•Reinterment or frequently openings for offering renovation.
•Bone pathology: criba orbitalia anemia (infant), caries, deficiency on spine vertebrae on female.
Chart 2
Chronology
Marca Jirca
Pierina sites
Chart 3:
Modified from
Lau 2004:Fig.3
Conclusions
The manipulation of mythological symbols, use of luxury objects, complex ceremonies in honor of the dead,
cranial deformation, energy expended on tomb construction and location at the core of the Recuay center may
have been practices responding to a ranking individual, maybe a chief or an important person was interred at
Marca Jirca. There is a marked distinction in mortuary customs between the Pierina sites and those at Marca
Jirca in Huaraz. The archaeological information obtained from the Pierina sites establishes a communal way of
life with less access to power during a time (ca 700-800 AD) when the system of Recuay mythological deities
was declining.
Acknowledgements
Permission for archaeological investigations at Pierina influence mining zone was provided by
the Instituto Nacional de Cultura Lima and Huaraz, Peru, for several projects during 1997 to
2000. I owe my thanks to Barrick Gold Mining Corportion Lima and Huaraz staff, to the
bioanthropologist Florencia Bracamonte, the students of National University Mayor de San
Marcos, Lima, Peru, crew chief Martin Justiniano and local workers from the town of Marenayoc
and Marian, Ancash, Peru.

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