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Michael E. Moseley

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description Michael E. Moseley Overview

Michael E. Moseley was an American archaeologist recognized for his extensive research on pre-Columbian societies in South America. He is best known for proposing the Maritime Foundations of Andean Civilization hypothesis, which argued that early complex societies in Peru relied on rich marine resources rather than solely on agriculture. His work fundamentally influenced the archaeological understanding of the Andean region and its early coastal urban centers.

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What was Michael E. Moseley's Maritime Foundations of Andean Civilization hypothesis?

Moseley argued that rich marine resources along the coast of Peru helped support sedentary communities and the rise of complex Andean societies. The hypothesis challenged the assumption that agriculture had to be the sole foundation of early civilization.

When was The Maritime Foundations of Andean Civilization published?

Michael E. Moseley's book was published in 1975 by Cummings Publishing in Menlo Park, California. It developed an archaeological argument centered on coastal Peru and marine subsistence. [Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL5074193M/The_Maritime_Foundations_of_Andean_Civilization)

Which archaeological region is most associated with Moseley's maritime argument?

The argument is especially associated with Peru's central coast and sites such as Aspero. Moseley used evidence for fishing, shellfish collection, settlement, and monumental construction to discuss how coastal communities could become socially complex.

Did later archaeology completely disprove Moseley's maritime hypothesis?

The debate became more nuanced rather than ending with a simple rejection. Later research emphasizes that marine resources, agriculture, plants, and regional exchange could all contribute to complexity, while Moseley's original 1975 argument remains an important point of reference. [PMC archaeological review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5953975/)