Examining the Nasca religious network on the south coast of Peru: LA-ICP-MS of Early Nasca ceramics from the Upper Ica Valley (AD 250–450)

Abstract

This study investigates the geographic extent of a hypothesized pilgrimage network on the south coast of Peru during the Early Intermediate Period (AD 100-650), centered around the important ceremonial site of Cahuachi. It has been argued that Early Nasca style ceramics were manufactured here and distributed to pilgrims from surrounding Southern Nasca Region (SNR) villages as symbols of their pilgrimage, and daily reminders of the Cahuachi ideology. However, the participation of people from other, more distant parts of the Nasca homeland, including the Upper Ica Valley, has not been tested. We do so here by conducting a compositional study using Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on ceramics from two Upper Ica Valley sites, Cerro Soldado and Cerro Tortolita. The results indicate that ceramics recovered from the SNR and the Upper Ica Valley are chemically distinct, supporting different raw material sources and production zones. Furthermore, our results indicate that pottery produced with SNR raw materials is not present at either site. These findings lead us to reassess the direct reach of Cahuachi’s pilgrimage network, and the importance of production centers outside of Cahuachi for contributing to the Nasca iconography and culture.