Late Nasca food and craft production in the Tierras Blancas Valley, Peru

Abstract

The analysis of food, drink, and crafts has formed the foundation of archaeological research in multiple world regions. The contexts of production are equally as important as those of consumption, particularly when multiple production activities occur within a single space. Here we present a residential production locale from Cocahuischo, a Late Nasca (A.D. 450–650) settlement on the south coast of Peru. Food, drink, and craft production are not well understood in the Nasca region, due to a dearth of settlements with evidence of suprahousehold production locales. Drawing from recent ethnographic, ethnoarchaeological, and archaeological research, we examine the material expressions of food and craft production activities represented in an atypical building at Cocahuischo. We argue that the structure was a multi-function production facility used for food preparation, chicha beer brewing, and low output copper metallurgy, illustrating an example of “cross-craft production.”