ANDEAN PAST - Latin American Studies Program - Cornell University

ANDEAN PAST 6 (2000)~ 38time Guafiape people were making full use ofthe entire valley.The site of Huaca El Gallo/La Gallina,VirU Valley, PeruHuaca EI Gallo/Huaca La Gallina is one ofat least three large ceremonial dual pyramidsites in the Vim Valley of the Peruvian northcoast dating to the Initial Period (ca.1800~900B.C.j Figure 1). The most prominent structuresat the site are the pyramid~platformscalled EIGallo and La Gallina which are both aligned tothe NE at E lOoN and E 12oNmagneticrespec~tively (Figure 2 a, b, Figure4). The site has twoalluvium~filledsunken circular plazas that arealso visible on the surface, although the westcourt (on the west side of the La Gallinamound) is completely filled (Figure 2 c, g).Other small structures appear on the surface ashalf~buriedwall footings. The core area of thesite measure&480 m (E~W) x 260 m (N~S)andis delimited from the interior of the quebrada(ravine) by a large double~facedwall of stonemasonry over 1 m high in places (Figure 2 e).No domestic architecture dating to the site'sprimary construction phase was found by theproject.First noted by Willeyin the Vim ValleyProjectSettlementSurvey(1953:210~213, 284~286), Huaca EI Gallo/La Gallina wasdescribedas two sites and attributed to the later Gallinazoand Moche Cultures. Although T. Pozorskiproposed an early date for the site (l976:223~235), it wasonly after the excavation of the sitethat diagnostic ceramic evidence revealed thesite's Guanape (Initial Period) cultural affilia~tion. Huaca EI Gallo/Huaca La Gallina repre~sents the best~documented Guanape Phase siteto. date (Zoubek 1997j 1998aj 1998bj 1998cj1998dj 1999).The site was established during the MiddleGuanape Phase. This dating is based on thediscovery of diagnostic Middle Guafiape ceram~ics and artifactual material (stone vessels, mor~tars, bone tools) in burials and architecturallevels. Middle Guanape ceramics are charac~terizedby their friablepaste, brownish~redcolor(generally Munsell 2.5YR 4/4), large quartzinclusions, and evidence of poor control overfiring. Decorated sherds are characterized,generally,by horizontal applique ribs decoratedwith finger~pressingsor incisions. The Anc6n~style decorated sherds originally thought byStrong and Evans to characterize the MiddleGuanape Phase have been shown, throughexcavations at Huaca Verde V~37, Huaca EI. Gallo/La Gallina V ~ 149/148, and V ~ 198, to dateto the Late Guanape Phase. Radiocarbon datesare not yet availablejhowever, given similaritiesin the architecture and ceramics from this sitewith others from the middle to late Initial Pe~riod, the assignment of the site to this period issecure.Huaca EI Gallo/Huaca La Gallina is on analluvial terrace at the .mouth of Quebrada EINino. The site is divided in two by a 4..5m deepand 60 m wide natural ravine into which thewest face of the EI Gallo pyramid is currentlyeroding (Figure 2 f). The EI Gallo side of thesite is protected by a hill spur (Figure2 h) suchthat surface architecture and artifacts have notbeen washed awayas much as on the La Gallinaside of the site, which is open to the quebradainterior. During torrential rains (EI Ninoevents) the quebrada acts like a funnel whichcollects rain from the surrounding hillsidesanddirects it toward the La Gallina core area. Suchwaters carry a largeburden of mud .andbouldersthat cover the entire surface of the inner que..brada. The most visibleartifact of these eventsis the natural ravine. These events mayexplainthe construction, by the site inhabitants, of thelarge double..facedwall across the mouth of thequebrada (Figure 2 e). This wall served toprotect the La Gallina site from the destructionposed by the rains. The overburden on bothsides of the site is shallow. The cultUrallevelsoverlay a subsoil of gravel, boulders, and silteroded from the surrounding hills by torrentialEINino rains. The soilsof the site area are poor,being both thin and rocky.