Department of Cultural Anthropology

The collection of this department has been built up mainly through the university’s archeological expeditions to Peru since 1958, and comprises pottery, textile, and stone artifacts. These make up one of the largest lots of such materials in Japan, providing valuable sources to study the cultural evolution of the early Andean civilizations. Particularly important is the collection from Kotosh in the northern highland of Peru excavated in 1960 and 1963, where reliefs of crossed hands were found. The associated materials shed new light on the role of civic-ceremonial centers in ancient civilizations’ formation processes. Also important are the records and replicas of the gold ornaments such as crowns, nose jewelry, and earrings found at Kuntur Wasi. Needless to say, all archeological materials have been brought to Japan with official permission from the Peruvian government to develop research on Andean archeology from an anthropological perspective.

Kuntur Wasi site of the Late Initial period and Early Horizon, and the Kuntur Wasi Museum, Peru	Textile of the Chancay Culture, Central Coast of Peru
Triangular bowl of the Early Initial period, Shillacoto site, Peru	Relief of Crossed Hands, Late Archaic period, Kotosh site, Peru

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