Abstract
The choice of Cahuachi as the main ceremonial center of the Nasca was determined by many factors, including its relationship with a natural system of springs that provide constant water throughout the year and the terraced shape of the hills, as well as the relationship with other existing places of worship in the area. Since 4200 BCE, the remains of human sacrifices and offerings have witnessed its use for worship. At the beginning of its history, Cahuachi was a huaca. Slowly, new and complex functions were added, such as handicraft production and depositing surplus goods and food to be redistributed to the population in case of natural disasters. This led to a more complex system of utilization of the temple architecture and spaces. The power of Cahuachi became stronger and stronger, culminating in its becoming the theocratic capital of the Nasca world.
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Notes
- 1.
On the inter-visibility of sacred places in Cahuachi the reader is referred to Chap. 12 by Masini et al. (2016).
- 2.
- 3.
On antaras, see Chap. 17 by Gruszczyńska-Ziółkowska (2016).
- 4.
Even if the greater development of hydraulic engineering was during the Middle Nasca. For additional details, see Chap. 13 by Lasaponara et al. (2016a).
- 5.
In the context of Proyecto Nasca in 1989, archaeological investigations in Quemado enabled the identification of the architectural features of this area and its shape as a small ceremonial area, with terraces and high fences.
- 6.
For more details on food plants, see Chap. 6 by Piacenza.
- 7.
This was confirmed by geophysical investigations performed by ITACA Mission.
- 8.
Similarly, in other areas near the ceremonial center, as for example in EstaquerÃa, Proyecto Nasca found the body of an individual human being without a head and upper limbs, with indicative elements dated to the second or third millennium BCE.
References
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Orefici, G. (2016). The Ceremonial Center of Cahuachi: Its Origins and Evolution. In: Lasaponara, R., Masini, N., Orefici, G. (eds) The Ancient Nasca World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47052-8_14
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