Maciej Sobczyk | University of Warsaw (original) (raw)
Papers by Maciej Sobczyk
“The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters” Misconceptions about Easter Island in the Light of 21st Century Science, 2018
Caves feature prominently in the history, oral traditions as well as prehistorical times of Easte... more Caves feature prominently in the history, oral traditions as well as prehistorical times of Easter Island habitation. In the present paper we give a brief introduction to this topic of Rapa Nui research. Detailed considerations about five particular prominent caves are given. We provide their physical description as well as oral traditions connected to those particular locations.
Las cuevas ocupan un lugar destacado en la historia, las tradiciones orales y los tiempos prehistóricos de Isla de Pascua. En el presente documento presentamos una breve introducción a este tema de la investigación de Rapa Nui. Se dan consideraciones detalladas sobre cinco cuevas prominentes particulares. Proporcionamos su descripción física, así como las tradiciones orales relacionadas con esos lugares en particular.
SUMMARY: This study presents the first results of the petrographic analysis of the mineral compo... more SUMMARY: This study presents the first results of the petrographic analysis of the mineral composition of the paste of 40 fragments of archaeological ceramics from the ceremonial middens at the Maucallacta-Pampacolca site, a great Inca administrative-ceremonial center located in the province of Castilla, department of Arequipa. The data indicates the presence of several productions. In the examined material 8 basic groups can be distinguished concerning mineral mixture used for preparing the ceramic mass.
KEY WORDS: ceramic, archaeometry, compositional analysis, petrography, Maucallacta-Pampacolca, middens
El siguiente estudio tiene como objetivo contrastar dos tipos de datos intentando echar luces sob... more El siguiente estudio tiene como objetivo contrastar dos tipos de datos intentando echar luces sobre el estado actual de la investigación en la región de Pampacolca tanto prehispánica como colonial. El punto de partida será el libro de bautizos que fue escrito en Pampacolca entre finales del siglo XVI y principios del XVII. Dicho libro ha sido dividido en cinco partes cada una de las cuales correspondía a uno de los ayllus. El estudio histórico ha sido complementado con los datos arqueológicos de la región.
The following study aims to contrast two types of data trying to shed light on the current state of research in the Pampacolca region as in the pre-Hispanic and colonial. The starting point will be the baptismal book that was written in Pampacolca between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th. This book has been divided into five parts, each of which corresponded to one of the ayllus. The historical study has been complemented with the archaeological data of the region.
Maucallacta archaeological site is located at the foot of the Coropuna volcano’s southern slopes,... more Maucallacta archaeological site is located at the foot of the Coropuna volcano’s southern slopes, in the Pampacolca district, the Castilla Province, the Arequipa department. These are the remnants of a temple complex related to the cult of the holy mountain, as Coropuna was regarded in pre-Spanish times. The complex is located at a height of 3750 m a.s.l. (ZIÓłKoWSKI 2005; 2008). Work done by experts from the Centre for Pre-Columbian Studies of the University of Warsaw commenced in 1997, under the aegis of the Condesuyos Archaeological Project led by Prof. Mariusz Ziółkowski and Augosto Belan Franco. The project encompasses the entire region. Since 2006, studies done at the Maucallacta site have been designated as a separate sub-project; directed by the author, together with the Peruvian architect and archaeologist Gonzalo Presbítero Rodriguez. From that point on, the studies covered not only archaeological research, but also a whole range of restoration and maintenance work (BUDA ET AL. 2010; WołoSzyN ET AL. 2010). They were also synchronised with the process of adapting the site to tourist traffic, as studies enter the next phase. The work and studies carried out in 2012 were part of pre-planned. This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland,
(National Science Centre, NCN) with grant no. 011/01/M/HS3/03432
The Nature and Culture of Latin America. Review of Polish Studies, edited by Zbigniew Mirek, Adam Flakus, Andrzej Krzanowski, Andrzej Paulo and Janusz Wojtusiak, pp. 339-353., 2010
The Maucallacta architectural complex, located in Arequipa Department in south-central Peru at 37... more The Maucallacta architectural complex, located in Arequipa Department in south-central Peru at 3700 m a.s.l., consists of over 200 stone buildings and tombs. The site was probably one of the most important settlements in Cuntisuyu, one of the four parts of the Inca Empire, and was also the main religious and administrative center related to the cult of the Coropuna volcano, a mountain described by many Spanish chroniclers in the 16 th and 17 th centuries as a deity and an oracle worshipped in pre-Columbian times. The main purpose of the archaeological project commenced in 2006, carried out by the Centre for Pre-Columbian Studies of Warsaw University (Poland) and the Catholic University of Saint Mary in Arequipa (Peru), is to explore and restore the most important architectural structures documented in Maucallacta. As a result of that work the intensive destruction of some important structures has been stopped, and some very interesting details of burial rites and the ways offerings were made to the sacred mountain have been discovered.
The Archaeological Project "Condesuyos" has been carried out since 1996 by the Center f... more The Archaeological Project "Condesuyos" has been carried out since 1996 by the Center for Pre-columbian Studies (University of Warsaw, Poland) represented by its Director, Prof. Dr. Hab. Mariusz Zió¯kowski, and the Catholic University "Santa María" (Arequipa, Peru) represented by Dr. Luis Augusto Belan Franco, the Director of the University Archaeological Museum. The Project covers archaeological investigation in the vicinity of
BMC Genetics, 2012
Background: A detailed genetic study of the pre-Columbian population inhabiting the Tompullo 2 ar... more Background: A detailed genetic study of the pre-Columbian population inhabiting the Tompullo 2 archaeological site (department Arequipa, Peru) was undertaken to resolve the kin relationships between individuals buried in six different chullpas. Kin relationships were an important factor shaping the social organization in the pre-Columbian Andean communities, centering on the ayllu, a group of relatives that shared a common land and responsibilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether this Andean model of a social organization had an influence on mortuary practices, in particular to determine whether chullpas served as family graves.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2014
The common practice of resettlement and the development of administrative and ceremonial systems ... more The common practice of resettlement and the development of administrative and ceremonial systems shaped the population landscape of the Andean region under the Inca rule. The area surrounding Coropuna and Solimana volcanoes, in the Arequipa region (Peru), carried a high-density, multiethnic population. We studied the genetic variation among three pre-Columbian populations from three functionally diverse archaeological sites excavated in this region. By analyzing the genetic composition of a large ceremonial center (Acchaymarca), an isolated pastoral settlement (Tompullo 2), and an agricultural settlement characterized by architectural features rare in the region (Puca), we investigated the patterns of population movements and the distribution of genetic diversity. We obtained mitochondrial DNA sequences for
“The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters” Misconceptions about Easter Island in the Light of 21st Century Science, 2018
Caves feature prominently in the history, oral traditions as well as prehistorical times of Easte... more Caves feature prominently in the history, oral traditions as well as prehistorical times of Easter Island habitation. In the present paper we give a brief introduction to this topic of Rapa Nui research. Detailed considerations about five particular prominent caves are given. We provide their physical description as well as oral traditions connected to those particular locations.
Las cuevas ocupan un lugar destacado en la historia, las tradiciones orales y los tiempos prehistóricos de Isla de Pascua. En el presente documento presentamos una breve introducción a este tema de la investigación de Rapa Nui. Se dan consideraciones detalladas sobre cinco cuevas prominentes particulares. Proporcionamos su descripción física, así como las tradiciones orales relacionadas con esos lugares en particular.
SUMMARY: This study presents the first results of the petrographic analysis of the mineral compo... more SUMMARY: This study presents the first results of the petrographic analysis of the mineral composition of the paste of 40 fragments of archaeological ceramics from the ceremonial middens at the Maucallacta-Pampacolca site, a great Inca administrative-ceremonial center located in the province of Castilla, department of Arequipa. The data indicates the presence of several productions. In the examined material 8 basic groups can be distinguished concerning mineral mixture used for preparing the ceramic mass.
KEY WORDS: ceramic, archaeometry, compositional analysis, petrography, Maucallacta-Pampacolca, middens
El siguiente estudio tiene como objetivo contrastar dos tipos de datos intentando echar luces sob... more El siguiente estudio tiene como objetivo contrastar dos tipos de datos intentando echar luces sobre el estado actual de la investigación en la región de Pampacolca tanto prehispánica como colonial. El punto de partida será el libro de bautizos que fue escrito en Pampacolca entre finales del siglo XVI y principios del XVII. Dicho libro ha sido dividido en cinco partes cada una de las cuales correspondía a uno de los ayllus. El estudio histórico ha sido complementado con los datos arqueológicos de la región.
The following study aims to contrast two types of data trying to shed light on the current state of research in the Pampacolca region as in the pre-Hispanic and colonial. The starting point will be the baptismal book that was written in Pampacolca between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th. This book has been divided into five parts, each of which corresponded to one of the ayllus. The historical study has been complemented with the archaeological data of the region.
Maucallacta archaeological site is located at the foot of the Coropuna volcano’s southern slopes,... more Maucallacta archaeological site is located at the foot of the Coropuna volcano’s southern slopes, in the Pampacolca district, the Castilla Province, the Arequipa department. These are the remnants of a temple complex related to the cult of the holy mountain, as Coropuna was regarded in pre-Spanish times. The complex is located at a height of 3750 m a.s.l. (ZIÓłKoWSKI 2005; 2008). Work done by experts from the Centre for Pre-Columbian Studies of the University of Warsaw commenced in 1997, under the aegis of the Condesuyos Archaeological Project led by Prof. Mariusz Ziółkowski and Augosto Belan Franco. The project encompasses the entire region. Since 2006, studies done at the Maucallacta site have been designated as a separate sub-project; directed by the author, together with the Peruvian architect and archaeologist Gonzalo Presbítero Rodriguez. From that point on, the studies covered not only archaeological research, but also a whole range of restoration and maintenance work (BUDA ET AL. 2010; WołoSzyN ET AL. 2010). They were also synchronised with the process of adapting the site to tourist traffic, as studies enter the next phase. The work and studies carried out in 2012 were part of pre-planned. This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland,
(National Science Centre, NCN) with grant no. 011/01/M/HS3/03432
The Nature and Culture of Latin America. Review of Polish Studies, edited by Zbigniew Mirek, Adam Flakus, Andrzej Krzanowski, Andrzej Paulo and Janusz Wojtusiak, pp. 339-353., 2010
The Maucallacta architectural complex, located in Arequipa Department in south-central Peru at 37... more The Maucallacta architectural complex, located in Arequipa Department in south-central Peru at 3700 m a.s.l., consists of over 200 stone buildings and tombs. The site was probably one of the most important settlements in Cuntisuyu, one of the four parts of the Inca Empire, and was also the main religious and administrative center related to the cult of the Coropuna volcano, a mountain described by many Spanish chroniclers in the 16 th and 17 th centuries as a deity and an oracle worshipped in pre-Columbian times. The main purpose of the archaeological project commenced in 2006, carried out by the Centre for Pre-Columbian Studies of Warsaw University (Poland) and the Catholic University of Saint Mary in Arequipa (Peru), is to explore and restore the most important architectural structures documented in Maucallacta. As a result of that work the intensive destruction of some important structures has been stopped, and some very interesting details of burial rites and the ways offerings were made to the sacred mountain have been discovered.
The Archaeological Project "Condesuyos" has been carried out since 1996 by the Center f... more The Archaeological Project "Condesuyos" has been carried out since 1996 by the Center for Pre-columbian Studies (University of Warsaw, Poland) represented by its Director, Prof. Dr. Hab. Mariusz Zió¯kowski, and the Catholic University "Santa María" (Arequipa, Peru) represented by Dr. Luis Augusto Belan Franco, the Director of the University Archaeological Museum. The Project covers archaeological investigation in the vicinity of
BMC Genetics, 2012
Background: A detailed genetic study of the pre-Columbian population inhabiting the Tompullo 2 ar... more Background: A detailed genetic study of the pre-Columbian population inhabiting the Tompullo 2 archaeological site (department Arequipa, Peru) was undertaken to resolve the kin relationships between individuals buried in six different chullpas. Kin relationships were an important factor shaping the social organization in the pre-Columbian Andean communities, centering on the ayllu, a group of relatives that shared a common land and responsibilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether this Andean model of a social organization had an influence on mortuary practices, in particular to determine whether chullpas served as family graves.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2014
The common practice of resettlement and the development of administrative and ceremonial systems ... more The common practice of resettlement and the development of administrative and ceremonial systems shaped the population landscape of the Andean region under the Inca rule. The area surrounding Coropuna and Solimana volcanoes, in the Arequipa region (Peru), carried a high-density, multiethnic population. We studied the genetic variation among three pre-Columbian populations from three functionally diverse archaeological sites excavated in this region. By analyzing the genetic composition of a large ceremonial center (Acchaymarca), an isolated pastoral settlement (Tompullo 2), and an agricultural settlement characterized by architectural features rare in the region (Puca), we investigated the patterns of population movements and the distribution of genetic diversity. We obtained mitochondrial DNA sequences for