Gallinazo and Mochica Cultures Quiz

The Gallinazo/Mochica Debate

• The Gallinazo and Mochica cultures coexisted on Peru's north coast during the first millennium.
• There is significant debate about the nature of Gallinazo, whether they were a distinct ethnic, political, or social group.
  • The core questions include the nature of their coexistence with the Mochica, whether site studies accurately reflect their group, and how the sociopolitical significance of Gallinazo material culture can be better understood.

The Mochica

• The Mochica (also known as Moche) of the North Coast of Peru were a significant multi-ethnic, multi-valley, state-level polity with at least three hierarchical tiers of administrative settlements during 100-750 CE.
• They had a dual economy based on irrigation agriculture and fishing.
• Their artistic tradition includes realistic sculptural vessels and bichrome decorations.
• The Mochica have a history of sophisticated metallurgy.
• They created monumental multi-level platform mounds and segmentary construction, potentially indicating labor taxation.
• Their warfare was both ritualistic and secular.

Virú Valley and the Southern Gallinazo

• Images of the Virú Valley and the Gallinazo Group show the location of these sites.

Architectural Features of the Gallinazo

• The Gallinazo group capital includes features illustrating the architectural design, such as the Castillo de Tomoval.

The Southern Gallinazo (aka Virú)

• Negative-paint finewares are a common feature of the Southern Gallinazo culture.

The Northern Gallinazo

• Images of artifacts illustrate characteristics of Northern Gallinazo pottery, including vessel pieces exhibiting distinct features.

Problem:

• The Mochica are viewed as the paramount civilization, while other groups are considered less developed.
• Research focuses on the Mochica's unique qualities, overlooking the existence of other groups.
• Non-Mochica groups are dismissed as earlier residents, rival factions, or simply not part of the Mochica culture.

Where did the traditional view of the Southern North Coast Subsector come from?

• Gordon Willey (1953) documented many settlements in the Virú Valley with Gallinazo Negative and Castillo Decorated wares.
• The Gallinazo and Mochica cultures are presented as successive occupants of the coast.
• It's claimed that the Gallinazo polity was conquered by Mochica war leaders who took control of administrative centers.

Competing Views About the Gallinazo

• Four competing views are presented (1, 2, 3, 4) concerning the Gallinazo polity and characteristics.

Competing View 1

• Gallinazo is proposed as the first multi-valley state in the Andes region.
• It's argued that Gallinazo political power was concentrated between Lambayeque and Casma Valleys, with administrative nodes in other valleys (influenced by their ceramics).
• An ancestral relationship between Gallinazo and Mochica societies is suggested from mortuary data.
• The nature of data used to identify Gallinazo sites is questioned as a problem.

Competing View 2

• Some burials include both Mochica finewares and Gallinazo domestic types; this suggests a social substratum.
• Coarse-ware Gallinazo vessels are found in upper-echelon Mochica burials, such as those at Sipán and Ucupe.
• Information is limited by the number of sites and funerary data.

Competing View 3

• The Gallinazo is seen as a Pan-North Coast phenomenon rather than a distinct, political entity.
• Utilitarian ceramics are not markers of political affiliation, but rather elements of a shared artistic tradition.
• The relationship of Gallinazo to other ethnically related groups is examined, with specific sites like Huaca Santa Clara noted.
• This perspective questions the characterization of Gallinazo as a non-culture.

Competing View 4

• Gallinazo and Mochica communities coexisted and competed for resources.
• Social organizations differed between valleys.
• There is an argument for mutualistic relationships, especially in the Northern Gallinazo context with Mochicas and others.

Evidence of Independent Gallinazo Polity and Ethnic Identity

• Sites such as Huaca Letrada and Huaca Songoy show emblematic corporate architecture.
• Northern Gallinazo distinguishes itself with a settlement pattern featuring architecture, mortuary practices (cemeteries), and a unique aesthetic style.

Northern Gallinazo Pottery

• Northern Gallinazo pottery features emoji-like facial expressions, contrasting with the realism of Mochica art.
• The presence of these unique expressions supports their distinct artistic identity.

Evidence of Independent Ethnic Polity and Capital Center in La Leche

• Sites in La Leche, like Huaca Letrada (360-390 CE), reveal characteristics suggesting an independent ethnic polity and a capital center.
• Features include Emblematic Corporate Architecture, Hilltop Administration, Workforces from nearby settlements, Mines and Intervally channels .

Evidence of Independent Gallinazo Administrative/Crafting Center in Zana

• Sites in Zana showcase potential independent Gallinazo administrative/crafting centers, with features such as corporate architecture (e.g., Huaca Songoy), workforce presence, copper presence, and inter-valley channels.

Characteristics of Gallinazo Settlement Pattern

• Sites such as Huaca Letrada and Huaca Songoy exemplified large-scale monument building near dramatic natural landforms.

The Northern Gallinazo Polity

• The Northern Gallinazo is characterized by features such as Monuments, Canals, Mining-Metallurgy, and ancient emoji-like facial expressions on pottery.

Transformation, Growth, Birth, Death

• The presentation proposes a discussion centered around the social capital resulting from copper control during different stages of life (birth, growth, transformation, and death).

Gallinazo, Lords of Copper

• The title suggests a focus on the association between the Gallinazo and copper.

Bibliography

• Various scholarly articles and studies (by authors like Shimada, Maguiña, Sharp, Donnan, Millaire, and others) are cited for background context and research.

Explore the rich history of the Gallinazo and Mochica cultures of Peru's north coast. This quiz will delve into their coexistence, sociopolitical structures, and the significance of their material culture. Test your knowledge on the characteristics and contributions of these ancient civilizations.