Japanese Researchon Andean Prehistory
JapaneseJapaneseSociety Society of Cultural Anthropology Japanese Review of Culturat AnthropolDgy, vol.3, 2002 Japanese Research on Andean Prehistory ONuKI Yoshio The Little World Museum of Man Abstract The study of Andean prehistory by Japanese anthropologists began in 1958 when the first scientific expedition was carried out. The principal objective ofthis project was research on the origins ofAndean civilization. The project has continued for over 45 years, and many Japanese specialists have partieipated in it. They have not only excavated more than ten archaeological sites in Peru, but have also made many contributions to the advancement of Andean prehistorM both in data and theory, This article summarizes the history of this research in relation to theoretical trends in the discipline, and ends with some comments about the relationship between the researchers and the local people. Key words: Andean archaeology; Peruvian prehistory; Formative period; Kotosh; Kuntur Wasi; origins of civilization; Andean civilization; Chavin The Beginning In 1937, [Ibrii Ryuzo (1870-1953) was sent to Brazil as a cultural envoy by the Japanese government. After completing this mission, he made a trip to Peru and Bolivia to become acquainted with the many archaeological sites and materials to be found there. There is no doubt that he was fascinated by prehistoric Andean civilization, and he began to find out about it by visiting archaeological sites, by meeting Peruvian and Bolivian archaeologists, and also by reading seme of the literature available at that time. He met Julio C. [[bllo at an excavation at the Cerro Sechin site, on the Central Coast of Peru, after which he visited Chan Chan on the NII-Electronic Library Service JapaneseJapaneseSociety Society ofCulturalof Cultural Anthropology 58 ONuKIY]shio North Coast, Here he got to know Rafael Larco Hoyle, and learned about the dispute between these two pioneers ef Peruvian archaeology over the origins ofthe Andean civilization.
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