Forests and fires: A paleoethnobotanical assessment of the impact of Middle Sican pyrotechnology on the dry tropical forests of the La Leche River Valley, Lambayeque, Peru (950--1050 C.E.)

During the Middle Sican period (C.E. 950-1050) on the North Coast of Peru, artisans developed a sophisticated tradition of ceramic and metalworking production amidst dry coastal forests of the region. Organic fuel resources, specifically wood, clearly played a vital role in the manufacture of these objects; however, this component of production has been largely overlooked. Thus, a major gap in our understanding of the relationship between Sican period production and the local landscape has developed. The Sican Archaeological Project (SAP) suggests that the production of metal and ceramics during this period likely placed the local fuel resources under considerable stress. Yet, an evaluation of the archaeological data is essential to assess the degree of overexploitation, identifying the fuels used, their contexts for use, and their role in local ecology.; This dissertation interprets how Middle Sican artisans met their fuelwood requirements for production in light of easily endangered forest resources. An examination of the archaeological charcoal from Middle Sican period kilns, hearths, and metal furnaces permits the reconstruction of fuel use and the ecological setting of production. This unique site demonstrates the concurrent production of metal and ceramics, as well as the presence of domestic activity. Using wood anatomy of fuels recovered from archaeological features, I identified the fuel materials of different use contexts. Modern comparative collections of wood and other organic materials were used to determine the plants present and interpret the ecology of the fuel remains. With these data, I reconstruct ancient artisans' fuel selection for cooking, firing ceramics, and working metal. At the same time, I examine fuel quality and generate a picture of the forest from which these materials were extracted.; This dissertation combines species determinations, an assessment of ecological and morphological variation of the representative species, and an understanding of forest composition and structure to maximize the interpretive potential for the Huaca Sialupe botanical remains. These analyses yield a thorough determination of fuels used and fuel quality; they also qualify their contexts for use and allow their inclusion in craft production models. This approach has been underrepresented in the region's archaeological research. My dissertation takes us a step closer towards developing a global application of this methodology to integrate the study of organic resources, e.g. fuel wood, within broader research models of ancient and modern craft production.