Building on investigations originally conducted by Junius Bird in 1944–1945, Tom D. Dillehay assembled an international, interdisciplinary team of over 50 specialists to study the Preceramic occupations of the lower Chicama Valley at the mound sites of Huaca Prieta, Paredones, and other nearby Preceramic domestic sites. Excavations conducted from 2006–2013 produced a phenomenal wealth of materials related to the social and economic transformations as well as the unique ritual and mortuary practices that accompanied sedentary life in this region of the Andean littoral. The edited volume, Where the Land Meets the Sea: Fourteen Millennia of Human History at Huaca Prieta, Peru, presents the results of the meticulous excavations along with the findings from methodologically innovative analyses of the archaeological materials. In addition to the daunting task of overseeing and coordinating the numerous specialized analyses of researchers across the globe, this 800+ page volume was published only four years after the last excavations were completed.

The 14 millennia temporal span of occupation documented at Huaca Prieta and Paredones is unique the world over. The locale is also significant in that it was initially settled as a Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene coastal forager camp. Following its use as an early forager settlement, people began mound construction at ~7800 BP, and the site acquired a ritual function that later included mortuary use. The volume presents the analyses and interpretations that are focused almost exclusively on the period from ~7800 to 3500 BP, when most mound building and cemetery use occurred. Despite the excellent preservation characteristic of many sites along the Andean coast, including some of the earliest evidence of netting and decorated cotton textiles, the analyses and understanding of ritual function as well as general site use, particularly at Huaca Prieta, were made difficult by the fact that nearly all the materials deposited were intentionally fragmented and deposited as part of numerous building episodes. As documented by several contributors, intentional burning and pouring of salt water over deposits and materials was ubiquitous, contributing to recovery and analytical difficulties that required creative problem solving.

The 15 chapters of the volume are complemented by 19 appendices rich in analytical details and findings. Dillehay (Chapters 1–3) creatively problematizes the Lower Chicama preceramic history. Chapters 4–7 present environmental setting details, excavation results, and chronological details. Chapters 8–12 report analytical results, including excellent studies of the vast quantities of fauna and plant remains and analyses of human remains, textiles, baskets and cordage, lithics, and other artifacts and materials. Huaca Prieta and Paredones are further contextualized with survey data on domestic sites in the region (Chapter 13). Particularly noteworthy is the excellent analysis of the textiles by Jeffrey Splitstoser (Chapter 12, Part 1). Splitstoser eloquently addresses conservation issues, materials, and methods of manufacture, as well as the probable social and economic (fishing versus farmers) implications of the two netting types he identified. Splitstoser also addresses early textile dyeing, including the first known occurrence of indigo color. The final two chapters (14 and 15) provide synthetic overviews.

The 19 appendices complement the volume chapters. In a couple of minor instances, these contain technical data of very specialized interest (e.g., soil chemistry and green stone analysis); however, the majority present methodological innovations and findings that are highly relevant to diverse audiences. For example, Katherine L. Chiou and colleagues (Appendix 4) provide an excellent quantitative analysis of chile pepper morphology to identify chile species. Their morphometric findings are coupled with insights demonstrating distinct patterns of chile species use at Huaca Prieta versus at Paredones. The ability to discern chile species is an important archaeobotanical advancement, not only for the Central Andean region but for all of the Americas. In addition to chile peppers, there are several other analyses of plant materials including phytoliths, starch grains, maize, pollen, charcoal, and macrobotanical remains. As noted by Dolores R. Piperno and colleagues (Appendix 9) in their study of starch remains, having multiproxy botanical evidence is critical for understanding past behavior. The analysis of faunal remains used as food and in offering rituals is complemented by appendices on marine shell seasonality and fish otolith geochemistry. The bioarchaeology chapter is complemented by studies of human bone chemistry, dental microwear, and efforts in ancient DNA analysis. In addition to the detailed analyses in print, Dillehay published a variety of additional results (excavations, pollen, lithics, shell, fauna, and textiles) online (https://my.vanderbilt.edu/huacaprieta/) that could not be accommodated in printed form.

Through the information presented, we see coastal peoples whose rich daily rituals and practices sustained multigenerational communities engaged in complementary maritime and farming economies. In the summary chapters (14 and 15), Dillehay explores how and why Huaca Prieta and Paredones came to be and how they survived for so long. One topic considered is why the Huaca Prieta mound contains so many nonlocal materials, plants, and exotic items. Pondering how did these objects arrive at this coastal locale and why, Dillehay asks the intriguing question—was Huaca Prieta an early pilgrimage site? Much of the evidence suggests this was the case. And in true Andean archaeological fashion, this proposition will likely spark much debate. After critiquing a range of simplistic, deterministic, and evolutionary models, Dillehay proposes that the multigenerational longevity of these mound sites and the social transformations that characterized them occurred through non-hierarchical social organization that was grounded in Andean concepts of duality, temporality, and the naturalistic. Applying concepts of ontology and social memory, Dillehay creates a very humanistic vision of ancient life at Huaca Prieta and Paredones.

Despite the massive quantity of information in this edited volume, the enigmatic characteristics of the Huaca Prieta mound spark new questions. There is great potential to explore in more detail some of the performative aspects of preceramic ritual behavior and mound construction at these sites. Although there is significant discussion of burning and pouring salt water on materials, there is also much focus on deposition of broken materials in the act of mound building. The process of mound building makes me wonder, might the past ritual behavior have been more focused on the performative act of selecting what to break and the breaking of the objects, and less on the deposition or discard of the material? Is it possible that being present for the performative act was more important than what was contributed, much like being present at an Andean pago (sacred apu or mother earth payment of thanks offering) today. As archaeologists, we have the advantage of dissecting mounds in their completed form. The individuals who begin mound construction never have the advantage of seeing the outcome or knowing what form it will take in the future. So, their participation is what mattered most.

I also think that there is a significant opportunity for future integrated studies of different categories of the Lower Chicama materials. The volume contains many excellent quality illustrations and photographs; however, I desire to see more images of the spatial distribution and associations of different materials. Perhaps now that these data are published, contributors could work together to flesh out linkages across artifact, fauna, and archaeobotanical categories.

This edited volume sets a new standard for scientifically rigorous investigations that are accompanied by theoretically informed and insightful interpretations. The volume has already received three impressive book awards, including the Latin American Reviews Book Award in History, the Choice Book Award, and the 2018 Society for American Archaeology Book Award. I suspect that more accolades are to come.