Since distance and field work obligations will unfortunately prevent my attendance at the Viking Fund-Institute of Andean Research meeting on Peruvian prehistory, I would like my colleagues to accept a few written notes on one of the subjects that will probably be discussed: the problem of basic highland culture. I am not sure that I understand why the problem was posed in terms of the highlands alone. My impression of the Peruvian archaeological picture is that the differences between highland sub-areas and coastal sub-areas is hardly greater than what one finds between adjacent highland sub-areas. Even in geographical terms the differences between highland sub-areas are very great. The problem is still an Andean one.