UC San Diego

On the north coast of Perú in the foothills of the Andes the polity of Collambay lived in a frontier zone between the Pacific coast and the highlands. On the eastern frontier of the coastal Chimú empire, in the Moche Valley, Collambay occupied a unique ecological niche, known for its production of coca, a prestige resource in the Andes. Andean strategies of political economy indicate this coca producing zone would be one that empires would want to access however, few studies have occurred in the chaupiyunga. My doctoral dissertation examines the relationships between the local community, Collambay and two successive empires, the Chimú (AD 900-1470) and the Inca (1470-1532). Prior to my investigation no archaeological excavations had been carried out in the Collambay area. My multi-dimensional study examines Collambay’s occupational history through settlement patterns and excavations at two sites, Cerro Huancha MV 900 and Cerro Ramon MV 1000. My excavations document the occupational history of the region and focuses on Collambay’s local economy and group identity, examining changes and continuities in the region throughout the duration of the Chimú and Inca Empires. My study indicates that Collambay maintained exchange relationships with the Chimú empire that developed into a political alliance, benefiting both parties. As a result of this relationship Collambay gained political power in the region. Upon the Chimú fall to the Inca, Collambay underwent another significant shift, undergoing reorganization to maintain an Inca state storehouse. Throughout these interactions with imperial powers Collambay maintained local traditions and material culture reflecting a unique, hybrid identity. This study contributes to a growing field of case studies that priorities understanding local populations in local-imperial interaction. It also is one of the few case studies to occur in the north coast chaupiyunga, a region whose sociopolitical history is significant for understanding experiences of populations on the political margins.