Cerro+Sechin,+Casma+Valley

//Cerro Sechin //

Within the Casma Valley in South America, the site of [|Cerro Sechin], found in 1937 by [|Julio Tello] , is located at the base of a granodiorite cliff, dating as early as the [|Initial Period] and lasts into the [|Early Horizon](Bruhns 1994:101, Moore 1996: 48, Pozorski and Pozorski 1987:81). Archaeologists consider Cerro Sechin to be a ceremonial shrine, but “the nature of the ceremony is unknown” (Moseley 2001:142, Moore 1996: 50). Moseley states that Cerro Sechin “began very early as a modest multiroom sanctuary with adobe walls that were ornamented by large polychrome paintings of felines as well as fish” (Moseley 2001:142). This rounded corner sanctuary was, unfortunately, mostly destroyed by looters, but with what was left untouched for the most part shows a stylistic connection with its famous monoliths that are at the heart of the tinku theme (Bruhns 1994:107, Moore 1996:48, 50). This connection has to do with the “idea of complementary opposition” that is most famous in the social duality and tinku themes of the Andes (Hill 2004:2). It is believed that Cerro Sechin is the first representation of tinku taking place between moieties, though; the idea is debated (Hill 2004:2). This conclusion comes from what is found on the monoliths (Figures 7 and 8) that surround the central temple. According to [|Bruhns,], author of //Ancient South America//, the monolith consists of  “more than 300 low- relief stone slabs which adorned the lower retaining wall of the platform. Two of these, representing upright banners laced to staves, flanked the main stairway. The other reliefs show a procession of fully dressed persons carrying ceremonial staffs or clubs, each occupying a single large stone” (Bruhns 1994:107). Amongst these people, body parts are depicted in the form of decapitated heads and severed limbs (Moseley 2001:142). The idea of tinku is seen in the fact, that this mosaic of armed men is “depicted [in] a dual procession” that begins at the granodiorite cliff from which the central structure is built (Moseley 2001:142). From one side, one moiety comes around to meet another, coming from the other side, at the middle (Moseley 2001:142). [|Hill] even notes, in "Battles of Cerro Sechín", that “most of the human figures and many of the monoliths depicting body parts appear in pairs in opposite sides of the complex” (Hill 2004:1). Although few would argue that this is not a representation of tinku, one can easily see the idea of ritualized tinku. The fact that everything is happening in the sacred, social dualistic idea concludes at this point. Just as social duality is seen in the conflict at Cerro Sechin in the Casma Valley, religious dualistic conflict is seen at Chankillo .