The use and re-use of ceremonial space at Taraco, Peru: 2012 excavations in the San Taraco sector

Abstract

Recent survey and excavation have indicated that the archaeological site of Taraco became a major regional center in the northern Titicaca Basin over the course of the Formative Period, one that rivaled the size of Pukara at its peak. From our three seasons (2004, 2006, and 2007) of fieldwork at the site, it was determined that the architectural center of the area was most likely located in the area of the church, which is situated in the highest part of the eponymous modern town. In 2012, we returned to Taraco to test this hypothesis and investigate the development of non-domestic, corporate architecture during the Middle (c. 1,300–500 B.C.) and early Upper (c. 500 B.C.–A.D. 400) Formative periods. Specifically, this work aimed to assess the degree to which the political and economic success of Taraco during the Formative Period could be linked with the intensification of ceremonial activities, or with transformations in their forms and organization. Results indicated a long tradition of ceremonial and other non-domestic activities that persisted for millennia, despite numerous social, political, and cultural transformations.