Pikillacta: The Wari Empire in Cuzco

2 Pikillacta and Its Architectural Typology

2 Pikillacta is an enormous and complex structure. In order to make sense of it and to perform an archaeological analysis it has been necessary to deconstruct it into its component parts. In this chapter we review various attempts at deciphering the structural concepts originally employed by the Wari architects. We propose a systemization that we believe accurately re- flects the Wari typology and is therefore broadly applicable throughout the Wari Empire. This typology in turn presents a basis for forming an excavation strategy. Introduction to Pikillacta and Site Description The enormous archaeological ruin of Pikillacta, one of the largest and most unusual planned architectural complexes in the ancient Americas, dominates the Lucre Basin at the eastern end of the Valley of Cuzco (see figs. 2.1–2.3). Its name means “flea-town” in Quechua and probably dates from Inca or even Colonial times; the original name is unknown. Located on the north side of the basin, the site lies on a series of low ridges that form the western flank of Cerro Huchuy Balcon (fig. 2.3). The average elevation of the site is approximately 3,250 meters above sea level. The most densely constructed part of the site consists of a very large, rectangular enclosure that contains most of the architecture. This enclosure measures approximately 745 meters northwest to southeast and 630 meters southwest to northeast. On the north and southeast sides of the main architectural block are several large semi-rectangular enclosures that appear to be corrals and are commonly called the canchones (fig. 2.4). With these enclosures taken into account , the site measures approximately 1,680 by 1,120 meters, or nearly 2 square kilometers. In order to facilitate the study and mapping of the ruins, the main architectural block was divided into four sectors that appear to correspond Pikillacta฀and฀Its฀ Architectural฀Typology gordon฀f.฀mcewan฀ and฀nicole฀couture 2.1. The Valley of Cuzco. 2.2. The Lucre Basin of the Valley of Cuzco from the air. Pikillacta is in the upper right quadrant. Courtesy of Servicio Aerofotográfico Nacional, Peru. Pikillacta and Its Architectural Typology | 13 to original units employed by the ancient Wari architects (fig. 2.4). Sector 1, the part of the site having the highest elevation, consists of 81 rectangular enclosures averaging 35 to 40 meters on a side. The structures are arranged in a rectangular grid having five rows of fourteen enclosures each and one row of eleven. This row of eleven gives the impression of never having been completed as the last three enclosures appear to be missing, but due to poor preservation in this area it is difficult to determine whether or not this is the case. Of the eleven structures in this row, six contain interior walls and subdivisions forming long narrow rooms arranged around an open patio. These are alternated with five apparently empty enclosures. The lowest row of fourteen enclosures is composed of rectangular compounds, all with narrow perimeter rooms and alternating compounds enclosing a niched hall in its courtyard. All of the remaining fifty-two structures, in the middle rows, are rectangular compounds with narrow rooms arranged on their perimeters. The preservation of the ruins in Sector 1 is very poor. Most walls are destroyed to the surface level and only a few fragments stand higher than 2 or 3 meters. There are no streets or other means of access visible in this area. Sector 2 is architecturally the most complex part of the main block, with great variety of size and distribution of structural types. The sector contains 124 enclosures or compounds; most appear to be rectangular compounds with narrow rooms arranged around their perimeters, similar to those in Sector 1. There are also five large niched halls located in Sector 2. Additionally there are four very long series of narrow rooms paralleling the southwest side of this sector just above the junction with Sector 3. These are subdivided into sections by cross-walls and gates. Preservation of the northeast half of Sector 2 is very good, with many structures having walls still standing to heights of 10 to 12 meters above the present ground surface. In contrast, many of the structures in the southwest half of Sector 2 are destroyed almost to the surface level or obscured by wall rubble. Three streets pierce this sector and a fourth divides it from Sector 1. Sector 3 consists...