Th e problematic of theYchsma ceramics: the state of the situation and some elements of discussion

This paper tries to outline the problems related to the use of the Ychsma pottery, in particular with the defi nition of its stylistic unity, sequence, and distribution based in recent research at the Rímac and Lurín valleys and other essential contributions to un-derstand the Ychsma society as a whole. Elements like territory and ethnicity and some ychsma archaeological contexts are the frame of a brief discussion about the archaeological criteria used to defi ne the ychsma ceramic sequence, and also to incorporate to the debate additional arguments.

Key Words: Ychsma; ychsma pottery; sequence pottery; Peruvian central coast.