EASTERN OUTPOSTS
IN THE CHANCHAMAYO FRONTIER

CURRENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE EASTERN ANDES OF PERU

2003-2005

Supported in part by a grant from the J. John Heinz III Charitable Trust, with additional support from Central Michigan University's Friends of Anthropology Fund, Physical Anthropology Laboratory Fund, and College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences Development Fund

Charles M. Hastings, Principal Investigator
Central Michigan University

Generously assisted by students of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and Central Michigan University, personnel of the Asociación Peruana para la Promoción del Desarollo Sostenible (APRODES), residents of the Communities of La Lora and Pichita-Caluga, personnel of the San Ignacio Morococha S.A. (SIMSA) Mining Corporation, and many others!

This project is the subject of an illustrated article that appeared in the Spring 2004 issue (7:1:9-10) of Under Discussion, a newsletter of the College of Humanities and Social & Behavioral Sciences (Sarah Sommer, editor; see pp. 9-10).

Hastings Home

Archaeological Research in Central Peru

Project Location

Selected areas of interest in Chanchamayo along the cultural frontier between prehistoric highland and lowland populations:

• A:  Pichita* + La Lora
• B:  Pampa Hermosa
• C:  Ridges above La Merced
• D:  Mina San Vicente + Vitoc

* Emphasized in most recent field work.

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General view across the Pichita ridge and its northwest slope, much of which is now under the care of APRODES as a multi-use cloudforest preserve.  The mining of zinc and other metals peaked in the 1950's and 1960's and was subsequently suspended until recent exploratory probes under new ownership by SIMSA.  Archaeological remains are dispersed in several concentrations along much of this ridge on APRODES and SIMSA lands in addition to privately owned tracts.

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Project director C. Hastings beside remnants of one of many walls in a principal sector of the Pichita Site.  Partially preserved walls such as this define circular structures that probably served as dwellings, though a few rectangular buildings of unknown function have also been found.  There are several much more massive retaining and free-standing walls that may been important in defense and/or the definition of social boundaries.

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CMU student Tom Hanson high above Pichita along an important ridge trail that connects the high Puna zone of Junín to the subtropical eastern lowlands.  Known from early Franciscan Colonial records as the "Camino Suárez" in reference to one of the first Spaniards to carve out an hacienda in the Chanchamayo montaña, this trail has seen intermittent use ever since.  For more than a century, it has served from time to time as an alternative route to avoid police checkpoints in the valley below.  Much of the trail has not been maintained for many years and is now difficult to follow.  There is no doubt, however, that this was an important link between highland and lowland regions during Inca and pre-Inca times.  Pichita is one of a few archaeological sites that have so far been found on or near this ancient trail.

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