MOCHE: A PERUVIAN COASTAL COMMllNITi'— GI1.LIN 



changes in the culture in subsequent re-studies of the 

 situation. The actual scientific techniques involved 

 in such quantitative studies are relatively simple and 

 easy to apply, provided rapport with the group has 

 been established, but they require the services of a 

 staff with some training if they are to be effectively 

 applied to the whole range of the culture in a reason- 

 able period of time. In the present case I have at- 

 tempted to provide some statistical measures, espe- 

 cially with respect to diet and certain aspects of 

 kinship and relationship between the sexes, but I 

 could wish for more. 



2. In studies of Latin American communities it is 

 extremely desirable to have full field collaboration 

 between Latin American and North American 

 workers, i. e., trained investigators from both 

 countries should work together in the field on the 

 same investigation. One of the objectives of the 

 program of the Institute of Social Anthropology is 

 to assist in the development of a trained body of 

 Latin American cultural anthropologists. In most 

 cases the North American working in Latin America 

 enjoys the advantage of technical training, wide ex- 

 perience, and a certain objectivity, but he suffers 

 from a lack of native knowledge of Spanish, even 

 though his workaday conversation and writing of 

 the language be fluent, and he does not have the 

 background of Latin American culture which is 

 "second nature" with his Latin American colleague. 

 The latter has a much more profound acquaintance- 

 ship with the language and culture of his country, 

 but for that very reason is inclined to overlook and 

 to take for granted features in whicli an outsider 

 sees significance. 



It should be understood that the present tense as 

 used in the following description and analysis refers 

 to conditions as of 1944. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The prttgrani of the Institute of Social Anthrop- 

 ology, under the able direction of Dr. Julian H. 

 Steward, has already claimed the respect of both 

 Latin American and North American social scientists, 

 and it will, I am sure, ser\-e as an inspiration for 

 a new period of scientific collaboration between the 

 Americas. I am happy to have had the opportunity 

 to participate in this program, even for a relatively 

 short period of active work and during its formative 

 stages. 



In connection with the present study, I wish to 



acknowledge my gratitude to the following Peruvian 

 scientists and men of affairs: Dr. Luis Valcarcel, 

 Director of the Museo Nacional de Arqueologia; 

 Sefior Rafael Larco Herrera. Vice President of the 

 Republic of Peru ; Senor Rafael Larco Hoyle, Direc- 

 tor of the Museo Arqueologico "Rafael Larco Her- 

 rera" of Chiclin ; Sefior Jorje Muelle, Chief of the 

 Technical Section of the National Museum of Arche- 

 ology and Professor of Anthropology in the Uni- 

 versity of Cuzco ; Sefior Jose Angel Minano, formerly 

 of the University of Trujillo ; Dr. Hans Horkheimer, 

 of the University of Trujillo ; Dr. Alberto Area Parro, 

 Chief of the Direccion Nacional de Estadistica ; 

 Sefior Coronel Juan Dongo M., Prefect of the De- 

 partment of La Libertad ; and many other Peruvian 

 friends and acquaintances who were interested in my 

 work in Moche and who endeavored to make the 

 sojourn of my family and myself in Trujillo and 

 in Peru agreeable. Among my friends in the Ameri- 

 can Embassy in Lima, I am grateful to the following 

 for special assistance in various matters concerned 

 with my official duties during or before the period 

 of this investigation : Jefferson Patterson, Counselor 

 of Embassy ; Dr. George C. Vaillant. formerly Cul- 

 tural Attache ; Dr. Albert Giesecke, who performed 

 the duties of Civil Attache. Dr. Vaillant left Peru 

 before the beginning of this study, but his earlier 

 counsel was invaluable. 



The list of my acquaintances in Moche is so long 

 as to render practically impossible its publication 

 here. A few names are mentioned in the text, but 

 the rest shall remain anonymous. Even the initials 

 used in the text to identify certain individuals 

 and "cases" are not the true initials of the individuals 

 involved, but refer to key letters in my notes. Noth- 

 ing said in this report can properly be used to foment 

 strife or trouble for any individual in Moche. But 

 I should like the people of Moche to know that I 

 enjoyed their hospitality, appreciated their help to 

 me in my efforts to understand the local mode of 

 life, and carry with ine a persistent fondness for 

 their corner of Peru and the people who inhabit it. 



In connection with preparation of the material 

 for publication, I should like to mention Miss Doris 

 Chestnut who has worked with unusual persistence 

 and intelligence on the typing of the manuscript. 

 Miss Christina Changaris did the line drawings 

 which appear herein. All photographs were taken 

 by me. 



Finally, I wish to acknowledge gratefullv the con- 

 stant helpfulness and courtesy of the Government of 



