Dr.
Reinhard’s project consists of a study of
little known Inca ceremonial complexes in
southern Peru. High altitude sites are important
because few Inca ceremonial structures of any
kind have remained intact, and the artifacts and
organic materials found at them are often well
preserved. Items recovered from these sites, such
as Inca frozen bodies (human sacrifices) and rare
metal statues with perfectly preserved textiles,
have been among the most important archaeological
objects found in South America. Scientific
excavations can help us better understand Inca
religious beliefs and practices and provide
models with which to compare other sites and the
contexts in which the objects appear. Whenever
identification has been possible, these sites
have proven to be Inca. Only a few of these sites
have been noted for Peru, and they are found in
the southern part of the country. Most of the
sites in Peru have already been largely destroyed
by treasure hunters or mountain climbers without
training in archaeology. In this project
ceremonial sites on the summits of selected
sacred mountains in southern Peru will be
excavated and detailed surveys and selected test
excavations made at lower lying sites on the
mountains.
In general terms the archaeological research
will attempt to answer the following questions:
Are the sites intrusive and definitely Inca and,
if so, is there evidence of local participation
in their use? Why were they built where they
were? Are there common elements in the physical
layout and orientations of the structures and of
the sites, the techniques used in construction,
the distribution of offerings, and the types of
offerings? What do the sites, and the types of
artifacts and the contexts in which they appear,
tell us about Inca religious practices and
concepts? How are the sites linked on different
levels of each mountain and with lower lying
contemporaneous sites and roads?
The objectives can be summarized as follows:
1. The scientific
excavation of Inca structures.
2.
The conservation and in some cases restoration of
items recovered from the excavations.
3. The multi-disciplinary
examination and analysis of the objects and
associated materials (textiles, pottery, pollen,
C-14 dating, etc.).
4. The diffusion
of results obtained through written publications,
including books, articles, and websites, through
films and audiovisual shows, and through lectures
and exhibitions.
5. The preservation of the sites
through official registration and establishment
of local committees to protect their cultural
patrimony.
