Over the last decades, considerable effort has been directed towards the study of early complex societies of northern Peru, and in recent years archaeologists have expressed a strong interest in the art and archaeology of the Moche, Lambayeque and Chimu societies. Yet, comparatively little attention has been paid to the earlier cultural foundations of north coast civilization: the Gallinazo. In the recent years, however, the work of a number of north coast specialists brought about a large quantity of data on the Gallinazo occupation of the coast, but a coherent framework for studying this culture had yet to be defined. The present volume is the result of a round table, which gathered some thirty scholars from Europe and North and South America to discuss the Gallinazo phenomenon. In fourteen chapters, authors with different perspectives and backgrounds reconsider the nature of the Gallinazo culture and its position within north coast cultural history, while addressing wider issues about the development of complex societies in this area and within the Andean region in general. The contributions reveal a diversity of perspectives on north coast archaeology, something that is likely to stimulate methodological and theoretical debates among Andeanists, pre-Columbian specialists and New World archaeologists in general.

This work is an archaeological investigation of the Moche culture of northern Peru (ca. AD 100-800). It is a study of Moche burial patterns and social structure. One of the main objectives of this research was to bring together information available on Moche burials from different settlements and from contexts dating to the Early, Middle, and Late Moche periods as well as the Transitional period. General patterns regarding burial context and energy expenditure are identified. The nature of social status is explored and some general principles of social structure are detailed. Issues regarding funerary rites of passage, delayed burial, grave re-entry, and funerary specialists are also discussed with regard to Moche representation of death.