Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Archaeological Approaches To Ritual In The Andes: A Ceramic Analysis Of Ceremonial Space At The Formative Period Site Of Chiripa, Bolivia, Andrew P. Roddick

Andrew P Roddick

This study uses ceramic data to examine the function of two Middle Formative Period (800-200 BC) structures at the site of Chiripa, in the Lake Titicaca Basin, Bolivia. I investigate the activities that occurred in both domestic and ritual architecture. I also examine the nature of the Yaya-Mama Religious Tradition; a ritual tradition posited for the Lake Titicaca region and thought to be represented by the Chiripa architecture and associated artifact assemblages. The likelihood and nature of feasting and exchange at Chiripa during the Middle Formative Period are also investigated by classifying the ceramic data into both serving and non-serving …

Viewshed Analysis Of The Ilave River Valley (M.A. Data Paper, Uc Santa Barbara Anthropology), Nicholas Tripcevich

Nicholas Tripcevich, Ph.D.

This paper explores the potential for using viewshed analysis methods with settlement survey data in a grassland environment. Innovations in geographical positioning and spatial analysis technology permits archaeological surveyors to rapidly gather greater quantities and better quality spatial data than was formerly possible. A variety of statistical analyses and agent-based models are made possible with the more exhaustive and statistically robust data. Site location criteria are considered with respect to both the visibility from high viewshed locations, and the sheltering potential from wind, weather, and other humans and animals, afforded by low viewshed locations.

The point locations of several hundred …