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An I-Shaped Ball-Court Form at Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke, Peru

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Thomas Pozorski  and
Shelia Pozorski
Thomas Pozorski
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Anthropology, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539
Shelia Pozorski
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Anthropology, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX 78539
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Abstract

Recent excavations at the Initial Period (1800-900 B. C.) site of Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke in the Casma Valley, Peru, have revealed the presence of an I-shaped court that is architecturally very similar to prehistoric I-shaped ball courts commonly found in Mesoamerica. Although it is possible that there is a connection between the I-shaped court at Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke and those of Mesoamerica, such a connection appears unlikely given the isolated nature of the former court in terms of time (700 years too early) and space (2,500 km too far south). It seems much more probable that this unique I-shaped court housed a special religious or secular activity within Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke and represents a possible unrecognized facet of early complex society during the Initial Period.

Recientes excavaciones en el sitio de Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke, fechado al Período Inicial (1800-900 A. C.), en el valle de Casma, Perú, han revelado la presencia de un campo en forma de “I” que parece muy similar arquitectónicamente a los campos de pelota prehistóricos en forma de “I” que se encuentran frecuentemente en Mesoamérica. Aunque sea posible que haya a una conexión entre el campo en forma de “I” en Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke y los de Mesoamérica, tal conexión es improbable dada la situación aislada del campo peruano en términos de tiempo (700 años más temprano) y espacio (2,500 km más al sur). Es mucho más probable que este campo único en forma de “I” fuera el escenario de una actividad especial de carácter religioso o secular dentro de Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke y que representa una posible faceta poco conocida de la temprana sociedad complejo durante el Período Inicial.

Type
Reports
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , September 1995 , pp. 274 - 280
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1995

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