The time of the past: Exploring the rhythms of a pre-Hispanic urban settlement in the coastal Andes (AD 550–850)

Abstract

As archaeologists we experience past time in the present, challenging linear time as we deal with the remains of different moments, events and people. This multi-scalar approach to time stimulates a flexible discussion of the past, understanding it not only in the absolute way provided by calendric dates, but also enmeshed within events and anchored by layers that were lived thousands of years ago. In this article, we will explore the notions of time of the people living in a densely populated settlement in the coastal Andes (AD 550–850), by focusing on the seasonality of quotidian practices, on cyclic constructive events and on the recurrent interment of people within residences.