El Hombre de Pacaicasa and Ancient Peru

Vocabulary flashcards covering the discovery, characteristics, and archaeological debates surrounding the Hombre de Pacaicasa and the Pikimachay cave.

Richard MacNeish

The American archaeologist who identified the Hombre de Pacaicasa as the first human to inhabit Peru based on findings from $1969$.

Pikimachay

A cave located at $2740$ meters above sea level whose name in Quechua means “cueva de la pulga” (flea cave).

Pacaycasa

A Quechua term meaning “nevado oculto” (hidden snow-capped mountain), which gives its name to the district and the archaeological discovery.

Pacaicasa Phase

The deepest stratum of the Pikimachay cave, dated by MacNeish to between $20000$ and $13000$ B.C. during the Lithic period.

Allqo Willka

The hill where the Pikimachay cave, measuring $24$ meters wide and $12$ meters high, is centrally located.

Toba volcánica

The volcanic material obtained from the cave itself used to manufacture most of the $71$ stone instruments found there.

Basalto

The material used for a single specific tool found in the cave, serving as the exception to the tools made of volcanic tuff.

Megaterio

A large bear-like animal whose remains were found alongside pointed stones that MacNeish interpreted as weapons used to hunt it.

Ayacucho Phase

A chronological level in the cave dated between $13000$ and $11000$ B.C., corresponding to the era of hunter-gatherers.

Huanta Phase

A chronological level in the cave dated between $11000$ and $8000$ B.C.

Raspadores

Stone scrapers used by the Pacaicasa man to remove meat from animal hides, supporting the theory that they were hunters.

Lynch and Narváez

Researchers who contested MacNeish's dating, suggesting the tools actually belong to the Hombre de Guitarrero from around $12000$ B.C.

Puente and Jaywa

Chronological levels found within the cave ranging from $6000$ to $4000$ B.C.

Chihua and Cachi

Chronological levels assigned to the Archaic period, occurring between $4000$ and $2000$ B.C.