Title
Mortuary preferences and selected references: A comment on Middle Horizon Wari burials
Date Issued
01 December 2006
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
editorial
Abstract
In a recently published paper, Isbell (2004; see also Isbell 2000; Isbell and Cook 2002) reports the finding of several Wari mortuary structures from the site of Conchopata. On the basis of this information and additional data from the main Wari site also in the Ayacucho Valley, Isbell has developed a Wari mortuary typology varying from very simple graves to an elaborate chamber complex that is argued to be the tomb of 'an emperor'. Isbell argues that this mortuary variability mirrors status difference and social inequality. At the same time, Isbell asserts that some high-ranking Wari individuals practiced polygyny. While the paper under consideration provides important data for understanding Wari society, Isbell unfortunately has ignored other equally relevant information. Indeed, published reports of other Wari mortuary structures excavated during the last six years in the Ayacucho Valley are not included in the discussion. Consequently, Isbell's analysis is incomplete and misleading. To amend this situation, our aim is to present the information that we and other colleagues have accumulated in the Ayacucho Valley. All available data considered, Wari mortuary variability is even greater than the simple hierarchical typology promoted by Isbell.
Start page
672
End page
689
Volume
38
Issue
4
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Antropología Arqueología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-33751198757
Source
World Archaeology
ISSN of the container
14701375
Sponsor(s)
During the research carried out at the sites of Seqllas, Posoqoypata and Marayniyoq, we had the opportunity to work with several groups of enthusiastic people, which include Alberto Sánchez Lucero, José Carlos Mendívil, José Juan Mendívil, Teodardo Jaime, David Romaní, Edith Verástegui, Joseph N. Cavalcanti, Alex Salvatierra, Vladimir Mora, Miriam Gil, Jorge Soto, Alfredo Bautista, Fredy Cándia, Juan Taboada, Máximo López, Paolo Huanachín, Magno Nuñez, Marcos Ventura, Juan Nuñez, Armando Auccapuclla, Juan Ventura, Raúl Auccapuclla, Marcial Janampa and Miguel Rondinel. The human remains from Marayniyoq were analyzed by Jocelyn Williams and Katrina Bettcher. We also thank the authorities of the Peruvian Instituto Nacional de Cultura and the Municipalidad de Huanta for their enthusiasm and support. Research carried out at Marayniyoq was supported by a research grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada given to the first author. Martha Cabrera, from the Universidad Nacional de San Cristóbal de Huamanga, participated as co-director during the excavations carried out at Conchopata. Finally, our thanks to Tiffiny Tung for permission to cite her unpublished analysis of the human remains from Conchopata. Two anonymous referees and the editor of World Archaeology provided useful comments and suggestions on an earlier version of this paper. Any shortcoming is the sole responsibility of the authors.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus