Points, patterns, and predictions in archaeological settlement data: site-environment relationships of Paracas and Nasca communities in the Peruvian Andes

This paper provides a framework for studying settlement patterns during pre-Inka times in the western Andes, using Point Pattern Analysis (PPA). The technique has found limited application in the Andean region, partly due to data availability and historical research trajectories. This study aims to fill this gap and employs PPA to analyze settlement patterns and site-environment relationships in the Palpa valleys of the western Andes during the Paracas (800–160 BCE) and Nasca (160 BCE–620 CE) periods. Our analysis examines the spatial structure of prehispanic settlements in relation to landscape features, identifying factors influencing site location choices and their evolution over time. Furthermore, we use the results from PPA to predict site intensity in nearby regions that were only marginally investigated archaeologically in order to identify the most relevant areas for future research activity. The performance of the model proposed here is tested at different levels in order to improve our knowledge and increase the fit of the final model. The results show changes over time in the occupation of the landscape, most of which were directed towards optimizing agricultural production. However, we have also detected a strong impact of mobility during certain periods and inter-site interaction.