6. The Formative Epoch

Extract

The early Paracas culture phase is the earliest Formative horizon we encountered in the Ica-Nazca region. It was briefly studied at the Juan Pablo I site, a burial ground upstream from lea near the head of the valley (Figs. 1; 3 A-G). Our work here was very limited, but confirmed the earlier reports of Pablo Soldi who guided us to the site. Numerous materials from this site are among the more recent additions to the Truel Collection in Ocucaje where we were able to study them. The burials were located on a rocky shelf well above the river and consisted of simple pits from 0.60 to 1.75 m. in depth. The skeletons were flexed and in very poor condition, all but one showing the cabeia larga or general Cavernas type of head deformation. All traces of perishable materials had disappeared save for small, crumbling fragments of plain-weave cloth. Of the 4 burials encountered, one was covered by a rough boulder ceiling or barbacoa, one was seated in a broken olla, and two were side by side alongside a short stone and rough adobe wall. The bodies had originally been seated or flexed, but had collapsed.