Reconstructing the built environment of the Millo Complex, Vitor Valley, Peru

Abstract

The Vitor Valley is an alluvial oasis linking the Arequipa highlands to the Pacific coast of southern Peru. The northern limit of the valley hosts a dense archaeological landscape of interspersed fieldstone structures and cemeteries known as the Millo Complex. This cluster comprises three principal segments referred to as Millo 2, Millo 3, and Millo 4; each of which preserves extensive architecture. Here we report on our research of the visible remains of the built environment of these sites, focusing on the relationships between structures, topography, visibility, and access. We suggest that these segments operated as contemporaneous and interdependent components of the larger settlement. Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal samples recovered from excavations at Millo 2 and surface ceramics from across the Millo Complex place this within the Middle Horizon (600‒1100 CE), a period of profound social change and reconfiguration of geopolitical relationships across the south-central Andes. The exact role that the Millo Complex played in this period of regional transition remains unclear. While sizable Ramada cemeteries adjacent to these sites point to local origins and activity, the intrusion of an iconic D-shaped structure at Millo 3 may indicate the introduction of non-local traditions associated with the Wari state. This article offers working hypotheses that may be addressed through future targeted excavations.

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