The Rise, Fall, and Regeneration of Ancient Societies: Pre- Hispanic Peru”

  The following will examine the rise and fall of ancient societies within Peru specifically within the pre-Hispanic Andes between the years of 1520-1620 with mention to the Moche, Chimu, Inca, Wari, Nazca, Roman, Mayan, and Chacoan peoples, in addition to the comparison and contrast of the re-emergent states that followed. To most efficiently do so, factors including but not limited to natural crisis responses, changes in economic strategies, land-use patterns, restructuring of social organization, political solidarity, increase in conflict or warfare, urban abandonment, disease mortality, and contact with foreigners will be employed to further understand the various intricacies of cultural interplay, social identity and evolution within these communities. Moreover, through the study of bones and molecules embedded therein, in addition to cranial modification, one can explore and to a greater extent reconstruct how the reverberations of violence, changed dietary habits, and encouraged innovative technological advances transformed beliefs and practices concerning the dead.