Infant and Child Burials at a Formative Period Site in the Lake Titicaca Basin, Peru Roselyn Campbell and Abigail Levine Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, UCLA The Archaeological Site of Taraco The archaeological site of Taraco is a complex of mounds located in the far northern Titicaca Basin, approximately 15 km from the lake. With an uninterrupted occupation from the Archaic Period (pre-2000 BC) through modern times, Taraco is an ideal case for studying the emergence of complex societies. Previous work (Levine 2013; Levine et al. 2013) indicated that the site was a major Formative center, and that its expansion was strongly tied to the development of the political economy. This involved the intensification of long-distance and local trade networks, as well as increased participation in civic and ceremonial activities. Imported wealth was likely used to finance local faction building and political expansion, and the excavations revealed evidence of large-scale public events that featured music, the burning of incense, and community sponsored feasts. During these events participants were granted access to exotic imports, and social bonds were solidified with gifts of high status craft goods. The Lake Titicaca Basin is one of the few areas in the world in which early complex societies developed. The extreme aridity of this high-altitude region has proved to be an excellent preserver of both cultural material and human remains. At the major Formative Period site of Taraco, north of Lake Titicaca, excavations of a ceremonial sunken court were conducted in the summer of 2013. Based on similar contemporary sites, the authors expected to find human remains associated with the court. The excavations revealed several examples of well-preserved juvenile remains, ranging in age from neonates to young children. Remains were found in closely intertwined groups of individuals, and demonstrated a complete lack of grave goods or funerary architecture. The groups were found around the periphery of the sunken court in association with terrace architecture. Although infant burials are common in agricultural terraces from this region and time period, the condition and circumstances of these burial groups are unusual. The deposition of the remains strongly suggests that they were buried simultaneously, and their partial disarticulation is almost certainly indicative of secondary burial. The lack of burial goods or architecture supports this theory, while the location of the burials in relation to the ceremonial court and the canal may indicate a ritualistic nature for the burials. In light of other data from the region, these burials may represent dedicatory offerings associated with the construction of ritual spaces. Interpretations The practice of using fetal or juvenile remains as offerings is well-attested in the Titicaca Basin and throughout the Andes, particularly as offerings to revered ancestors, whose graves are periodically re-opened to add these offerings (Hastorf 2003; Millaire 2004). Human and camelid remains, usually of juveniles or fetuses, were also common as dedicatory offerings before the construction of artificial terraces and ceremonial architecture such as platforms and sunken courts (Hastorf 2003). These offerings were often retrieved from a primary burial for use as an offering, or were curated for future use as an offering (Millaire 2004). The location of Feature UIII-6 (Unit 3), in a lower level than the surrounding court architecture, as well as the indications of secondary burial, strongly suggest that this group of remains was a dedicatory offering for the construction of the ceremonial court. Feature UII-1 (Unit 2), in contrast, contains relatively complete skeletons, is located in a much more recent stratigraphic level than Feature UIII-6 (Unit 3), and likely post-dates the Formative by several hundred years. However, while this feature is not associated with construction of the court, its similarity to other documented offerings suggests that the special nature of this area persisted for centuries. Summary The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, UCLA Insitute for Field Research Ministerio de Cultura, Peru Charles Stanish Municipalidad de Taraco All the members of Proyecto Taraco Peru Hastorf, CA. 2003 Community with the ancestors: ceremonies and social memory in the Middle Formative at Chiripa, Bolivia. J of Anth Arch 22: 305-332. Levine, AR. 2013. The use and re-use of ceremonial space at Taraco, Peru. Ñawpa Pacha 33(2): 215-226. Levine, AR, et al. 2013. Trade and early state formation in the northern Titicaca Basin, Peru. Lat Am Antiquity 24(3): 289-308. Millaire, J. 2004 The Manipulation of human remains in Moche society: Delayed burials, grave reopening, and secondary offerings of human bones on the Peruvian North Coast.” Lat Am Antiquity 15(4): 371-388. References Acknowledgements Excavations in Area I: Huayra Moq’o Huayra Moq’o is one of the 18 mounds in the Taraco site complex. Excavations in this area in 2013 investigated the developement of public, non-domestic architecture in the Taraco area during the late Middle (1300-500 BC) and early Upper (500 BC-AD 400) Formative Periods. This site is characterized by a ceremonial sunken court built atop a series of artificial terraces, and its long occupation makes it ideal for analyzing patterns of corporate architectural forms over time. Excavation of the architecture in the Huayra Moq’o sector revealed two discrete mortuary features, each containing multiple sub-adult individuals. The first group (Fea. UII-1) was found in the superficial depositional levels of Unit 2, located along the western margin of the sunken court. The second burial group (Fea. UIII-6) was discovered in Unit 3, to the northwest of the court in an the area of monumental terrace architecture, and was associated with a canal feature. In both cases, disarticulation, the absence of elements, and a complete lack of grave goods suggested that these mortuary features were secondary interments. Results: Group Burials Associated with Ceremonial Architecture Monoliths found in and around the Taraco area. Stelae such as these are often found in association with ceremonial sunken court architecture and ritual paraphernalia. Results: Feature UII-1 Results: Feature UIII-6 1 2 3 1 2 3 In Feature UIII-6 (Unit 3), the fragmentation of all three individuals is consistent with secondary burial after the remains had been skeletonized: the small bones of the hands and feet are missing, while larger bones such as the long bones are present. The association of this burial with the canal feature of the sunken court suggests that this burial group was deposited as a dedicatory offering for the construction of this ceremonial space. Individuals 1 and 2 in Feature UII-1 were found closely intertwined, but their remains were not mixed, and both were articulated, suggesting that the individuals were originally buried together. The remains of Individuals 1 and 2 are nearly complete, even to the distal phalanges, suggesting that this feature represents either a primary burial, or a secondary burial that occurred before the remains had completely skeletonized. The presence of Individual 3, attested only by the femorae, suggests that a third fetus, perhaps a stillborn child, may have been present in the original grave as well, or perhaps these remains served as an offering for the other two individuals. Though the completeness of the remains seems to suggest that Feature UII-1 is a primary burial, the absence of grave goods supports a secondary burial, most likely carried out before decomposition of the corpses had completed. = Bone present = Bone present Excavations (2007) Excavations (2013) Modern construction Sunken Court Modern Chapel 20 m 0 5 10 15 Excavation Units 1 2 3 2x2m units: 1. N8309265/E395379 Alt: 3831.196 m.a.s.l. 2. N8309265/E395363 Alt: 3834.905 m.a.s.l. 3. N8309284/E395354 Alt: 3820.089 m.a.s.l. 395,380 395,360 395,400 395,420 8,309,280 8,309,260 8,309,240 8,309,300 LEGEND 100N, 100E Map of the Lake Titicaca Basin Taraco Qaluyu Pukara Putina Cachichupa Puno Camata Ilave 0 20 40 km Tiwanaku Is. of the Sun Is. of the Moon Escoma N Modern town Archaeological site Taraco Ayaviri Huancané Moho Huatta Inchupalla Juli Lampa Kala Uyuni Lake Arapa Azángaro Desaguadero Jiskairumoko Quelcatani Pomata Huatacoa Khonkho Wankane Chiripa Tumatumani Huajje R á m i s R i v er Asillo Huancanewachinka Balsas Pata Canchacancha PERU BOLIVIA ECUADOR South America Trujillo Lima Cusco Taraco Puno Nasca Arica Lake Titicaca Lima 500 km Alca source Chivay source Feature UIII-6: Burial of three subadult individuals found under the canal in Unit 3 In situ walls Disturbed profile Rectangular stones In situ monoliths Canal feature associated with monumental terrace architecture in Unit 3, located to the northwest of the sunken court Location of mortuary features Area of Feature UIII-6