G4
In search for the origin of Andean Civilization

Cultural anthropologists Eiichiro Ishida and Seiichi Izumi organized the first expedition to the Andes for the purpose of elucidating the origin of the Andean civilization. Specialists on environmental studies, such as human geographer Iwao Kobori, were among the members who carried out researches on environmental history of the Andes. Japanese archaeologists concentrated their research in the northern Peru as it is the heartland of Formative ceremonial center sites. In recent years the number of archaeologists has increased and some of them have begun to investigate other regions and later periods than the Formative period.

At present, the University of Tokyo is investigating the Formative sites from a new viewpoint; that is about the role of network of interregional route in the emergence of ceremonial centers. Because of their isolated locations rock art sites are considered to be the place for temporal activities such as camping and rituals by travelers. However, it is noteworthy that some Formative rock art sites are detected nearby ceremonial center sites of the same period. In the case of the Jequetepeque valley, a temple named Mosquito Z which is referred as the first ceremonial center in the valley is accompanied by a huge petroglyph “Felino”. The University of Tokyo also started a new project to reexamine Kotosh in the light of the latest studies on the earliest ceremonial centers.　　　 (Eisei Tsurumi)

References

大貫良夫（2010）「アンデス文明形成期研究の五〇年」『古代アンデス 神殿から始まる文明』大貫良夫・加藤泰建・関雄二編：55–103、朝日新聞出版。

鶴見英成（2014）「北部ペルー踏査続報－ワンカイ、ワラダイ、ラクラマルカ谷からの新知見」『古代アメリカ』17: 101–117。

西野嘉章・鶴見英成（編）（2015）『黄金郷を彷徨う－アンデス考古学の半世紀』東京大学出版会。

Tsurumi, E. & Morales, C. (2015) Un gato con muchas vidas: un petroglifo Arcaico Tardío en el valle medio de Jequetepeque.Mundo de Antes 8: 141–157.

Embassy of the Republic of Peru in Japan (2015) Aporte japonés a la investigación de las Antiguas Civilizaciones de los Andes del Perú.