Ancient urbanism and complex societies in the Peruvian Desert: recent field research on the north and south coasts

Abstract

The two monographs under review here are both published by the University Press of Florida and both feature results of field research at two previously understudied sites on the north and south coasts of Peru. Based on descriptions of excavation contexts and the analysis of material remains, Melissa Vogel and Christina Conlee discuss the implications of El Purgatorio and La Tiza for understanding Casma urbanism and the development of complex societies in Nasca, respectively. Field and laboratory results are used to revisit perennial questions in Andean archaeology, including the origins of urbanism, human-environment interactions and the role of regional phenomena in the unfolding of local cultures. While both authors report on site-based projects, they structure their presentations differently. Conlee takes a more regional approach, synthesising previous research at the national, regional, local and site levels. Vogel takes a more site-centric approach, presenting a summary of the ancient city's organisation and examining its impact on regional developments.