An I-Shaped Ball-Court Form at Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke, Peru

• Published in: Latin American antiquity Vol. 6; no. 3; pp. 274 - 280
• Main Authors: Pozorski, Thomas, Pozorski, Shelia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, US Cambridge University Press 01-09-1995; Society for American Archaeology; The Society
• Subjects: Archaeological sites; Architecture; Ball games; Excavations; Field archaeology; Pampas; Statutory interpretation
• ISSN: 1045-6635; 2325-5080
• DOI: 10.2307/971676

Recent excavations at the Initial Period (1800-900 B. C.) site of Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke in the Casma Valley, Peru, have revealed the presence of an I-shaped court that is architecturally very similar to prehistoric I-shaped ball courts commonly found in Mesoamerica. Although it is possible that there is a connection between the I-shaped court at Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke and those of Mesoamerica, such a connection appears unlikely given the isolated nature of the former court in terms of time (700 years too early) and space (2,500 km too far south). It seems much more probable that this unique I-shaped court housed a special religious or secular activity within Pampa de las Llamas-Moxeke and represents a possible unrecognized facet of early complex society during the Initial Period.