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Human Adaptation, Food Production, and Cultural Interaction during the Formative Period in Highland Ecuador PDF Print E-mail
Written by Sonia Zarrillo   
Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:07

Sonia Zarrillo, 2012, Human Adaptation, Food Production, and Cultural Interaction during the Formative Period in Highland Ecuador, A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy, Department of archaeology, Calgary/Alberta

Abstract:

This dissertation focuses on plant food production, human adaptation, and cultural interaction in the highlands of Ecuador during the Formative Period. I conducted starch granule analysis of ceramic charred cooking and stone tool residues from some of the earliest Formative Period sites in the highlands, and one site from the eastern Andean slopes, to develop a regional synthesis of the timing and nature of highland plant food production. The main hypothesis tested is whether the stimulus to a Formative lifeway in the highlands diffused from coastal Ecuador. Sites investigated include La Chimba, Tajamar, Cerro Narrío, Chaullabamba, La Vega, Trapichillo, and Santa Ana-La Florida (SALF). I also integrate data from previous botanical analyses at other sites, especially Cotocollao.

The analyses show that Andean domesticated crops, such as oca, potato, lupines (chocho/tarwi) and quinoa, as well as maize and beans, are associated with the highland sites located at, and to the north of, Chaullabamba (La Chimba, Tajamar, and Cerro Narrío). By employing site catchment analysis, I contend that a highland, “vertical compact”, agricultural system was being practiced at these sites by at least the terminal Early Formative period, and perhaps much earlier based on proxy (pollen) evidence and aspects of the plants’ nutritional profiles, which suggest long-standing familiarity with the crops. By integrating the latest information available on the crops’ origins, I argue that cultural interaction was perhaps principally occurring through the Inter-Andean corridor along a north-south axis with other highland groups.

In contrast, the far southern highland sites (La Vega and Trapichillo), as well as SALF, show crops suited to a lowland tropical agricultural system, including manioc, sweet potato, Dioscorea (yam), as well as maize and beans and, possibly, cacao. The results from SALF date to almost the beginning of the Early Formative Period, showing that Coastal Ecuador was not the only “hotspot” for Early Formative Period societies. Cultural interaction in the far southern highlands shows an east-west axis of orientation. Groups in the highlands, eastern lowlands, and coast were involved in multiple interaction spheres. Highland agriculture and socio-political complexity developed insitu, and not from unidirectional diffusion from coastal Ecuador.

Last Updated on Thursday, 12 July 2012 15:53
 
Reconstrucción y Análisis del Proceso Constructivo y de Uso de una Estructura Doméstica Manteña en López Viejo, Costa Sur de Manabí, Ecuador PDF Print E-mail
Written by Stefan Bohorquez   
Sunday, 08 July 2012 12:46
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

“Reconstrucción y Análisis del Proceso Constructivo y de Uso de una Estructura Doméstica Manteña en López Viejo, Costa Sur de Manabí, Ecuador”. Tesis de grado previo la obtención del Título de Licenciado en Arqueología, presentada por Stefan José Bohórquez Gerardy. Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral — Centro de Estudios Arqueológicos y Antropológicos. Mayo 2012.

Descargar la tesis [PDF]

Last Updated on Monday, 09 July 2012 23:49
 
Prospection archéologique du canton Jama (Manabí, Équateur) PDF Print E-mail
Written by Catherine Lara   
Sunday, 01 July 2012 03:34
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

Catherine Lara, 2012, "Prospection archéologique du canton Jama (Manabí, Équateur)", Mémoire de Master 2 / Recherche - Archéologie Préhistorique et Protohistorique, Université de Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne

Résumé :

Ce mémoire se pose comme un état des lieux et une réflexion au sujet de la culture Jama-Coaque (240 av. J.-C à 1640 apr. J.-C.), dont le territoire se situe essentiellement dans la province de Manabí (littoral nord de l’actuel République de l’Équateur). Le travail présente ainsi les résultats d’une prospection de deux mois menée dans une partie de ce territoire (la juridiction du canton Jama). L’étude en question avait pour objectif la réalisation de la carte archéologique de la zone -579 kilomètres carrés-, à partir des principales problématiques existant autour de la culture Jama-Coaque. Celles-ci s’articulent principalement autour de l’organisation socio-économique et spatiale de cette manifestation culturelle, peu connue du point de vue archéologique -execption faite des travaux de James Zeidler et son équipe dans les années 80-, en partie du fait du pillage généralisé de son aire d’occupation. La prospection –par observation du matériel de surface-, s’est centrée autour des principaux bassins hydrographiques du canton, dont les sites -quatre-vingt-quatorze au total -, ont été repérés grâce aux données bibliographiques et ethnographiques. À partir d’une réflexion sur les types de sites identifiés et leur répartition spatiale, l’étude nuance les présupposés existant au sujet des principales problématiques concernant la culture Jama-Coaque, tout en mettant en évidence localement la complexité d’une manifestation culturelle jusqu’alors perçue comme homogène.

Télécharger le manuscrit [PDF]

Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:15
 
Análisis pre-iconográfico de la cerámica precolombina de la provincia del Carchi PDF Print E-mail
Written by Gabriela López   
Wednesday, 27 June 2012 04:06
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

Gabriela López, 2012, Análisis pre-iconográfico de la cerámica precolombina de la provincia del Carchi, Disertación previa a la obtención del título de Antropóloga con mención en Arqueología, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas, Escuela de Antropología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador.

Resumen:

Este trabajo nació del interés por las representaciones iconográficas de un grupo de piezas precolombinas provenientes de la provincia del Carchi, que corresponden a las colecciones del Instituto Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural y del Banco Central del Ecuador. Entendemos como iconografía cualquier tipo de manifestación de tipo figurativo que parte del supuesto en que las imágenes adquieren un valor y un significado (Castañeiras 1998). En base a los nuevos enfoques propuestos para una investigación arqueológica, nos inclinamos a usar como marco teórico metodológico, los planteamientos de la semiótica, que es la ciencia encargada de los signos y las leyes que los gobiernan (Castañeiras 1998; Preucel 2006; Saussure 2005), permitiendo el estudio de la cultura como un proceso de comunicación (Eco 1994). Sobre todo nos interesa el desarrollo de la semiótica en el carácter visual ya que aquí también existen signos y fenómenos de comunicación. Los signos se refieren a entidades abstractas basadas en una convención cultural (Eco 1994), de hecho un mensaje puede variar según los códigos que entran en acción por la ideología. Es así que las imágenes de nuestro material cerámico serán entendidas como códigos dentro de un modelo comunicativo que está enteramente relacionado con una cultura en específico.

Last Updated on Thursday, 28 June 2012 11:58
 
Les sociétés précolombiennes des Andes septentrionales : champs surélevés et constructions territoriales PDF Print E-mail
Written by Anne-Rose De Fontainieu   
Friday, 18 May 2012 13:47
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

Anne-Rose De Fontainieu, 2006, Les sociétés précolombiennes des Andes septentrionales : champs surélevés et constructions territoriales, thèse de Doctorat, École Doctorale d’Archéologie, Université de Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne

Résumé :

Cette recherche concerne les sociétés précolombiennes des "Andes septentrionales, d'Équateur et de Colombie, et plus particulièrement leurs modes d'implantation territoriale et d'organisation socio-politique. Les populations andines étudiées ont pour dénominateur commun d'avoir élaboré des structures agraires dites intensives, communément désignés sous le terme de " champs surélevés ". La présence de tels aménagements a presque toujours été imputée à une structure sociale de type " chefferie ", impliquant, par la concentration des productions agricoles, une forme certaine de centralisme politique. L'enquête se propose de disqualifier l'usage de ce concept anthropologique que l'archéologie andine a systématiquement employé pour cerner la nature de ces sociétés. Cette remise en question s'efforce d'appréhender la variété des situations à la fois écologiques et économiques liées aux champs surélevés comme autant de configurations territoriales singulières, mais néanmoins potentiellement stables au niveau politique. Par effet de miroir, l'objet archéologique " champ surélevé" lui-même, pourrait également souffrir d'une telle critique, tant il finit par être dépendant de l'hypothèse politique de la " chefferie ".

Source : SUDOC

 
Rupture et continuité dans la chronologie de la côte équatorienne : réflexions autour de la culture Manteña-Guancavilca PDF Print E-mail
Written by Anne Touchard   
Friday, 18 May 2012 13:43
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

Anne Touchard-Houlbert, 2010, Rupture et continuité dans la chronologie de la côte équatorienne : réflexions autour de la culture Manteña-Guancavilca, thèse de Doctorat, École Doctorale d’Archéologie, Université de Paris I

Résumé :

La société Manteña-Guancavilca a occupé le littoral équatorien depuis le fleuve Chone au nord jusqu'au bassin du Guayas -au sud-ouest-, du VIIème siècle apr. J.-C. jusqu'à la conquête espagnole. L'analyse des datations radiocarbones nous a permis de définir le premier découpage chronologique en six étapes, avec une forte rupture vers 1100 apr. J.-C. Celle-ci s'observe par l'apparition de structures architecturales en adobe et en pierre. Les vestiges archéologiques ont montré que les populations occupaient le front de mer, l'intérieur des terres et les hauteurs de la cordillère occidentale. L'étude des pratiques funéraires témoigne d'une grande diversité des modes d'enterrement et de l'absence d'un schéma strict. La céramique mise au jour sur le site Japotó a révélé des influences de cultures antérieures aux Manteña-Guancavilca et de groupes périphériques, mais aussi des innovations stylistiques et techniques et une standardisation de la facture, qui témoignerait d'un pouvoir plus centralisé.

Source : SUDOC

Lire l'interview de l'auteur sur le site "Le Monde Précolombien"

Lire l'article "Surgimiento y evolución de la cultura Manteña-Guancavilca: reflexiones acerca de los cambios y continuidades en la costa del Ecuador prehispánico". Boletín del Instituto Francés de Estudios Andinos, vol. 39, núm. 3, 2010, pp. 551-561

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 May 2012 03:48
 
Les "Zarzas", un groupe culturel tardif du sud de la province de Loja, en Équateur PDF Print E-mail
Written by Napoleón Almeida   
Friday, 18 May 2012 13:41
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

Napoleón Almeida, 1982, Les "Zarzas", un groupe culturel tardif du sud de la province de Loja, en Équateur, Thèse pour le doctorat du 3ème cycle, Université de Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne.

 
Prospection archéologique de la vallée de Cuenca-Équateur PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jaime Idrovo Urigüen   
Friday, 18 May 2012 13:40
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

Jaime Idrovo, 1984, Prospection archéologique de la vallée de Cuenca-Équateur, thèse de 3ème cycle, Université de Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne.

 
Aspects funéraires des cañaris de Ingapirca PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jaime Idrovo Urigüen   
Friday, 18 May 2012 13:37
There are no translations available at this moment. Thanks for your comprehension.

Jaime Idrovo, 1979, Aspectos funerarios entre los cañaris de Ingapirca, Maîtrise d'Archéologie UER d'Art et Archéologie, Université de Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne.

Last Updated on Friday, 18 May 2012 14:49
 
Phytoliths, Palaeoenvironment and Human Settlement of the Northern Ecuadorian Andes PDF Print E-mail
Written by Fernando Astudillo Cueva   
Tuesday, 08 May 2012 10:32

Fernando J. Astudillo, 2011, Phytoliths, Palaeoenvironment and Human Settlement of the Northern Ecuadorian Andes, M.A. thesis, Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary.

Absract:

Ancient agricultural terracing, middle Holocene grassland composition, weather change, and vegetation dynamics in Andean Páramos and montane forest were studied based on quantitative phytolith analysis. Palaeoecological samples from terraces were taken at the archaeological site of Palo Blanco in the highlands of northern Ecuador, which reflect the presence of permanent grass vegetation with changes in its composition. Minor changes in the frequencies of grass vegetation of the Panicoideae subfamily are related to a weather change about 3 640 BP. Human impact is observed in the modification of natural slopes creating terraces. The results indicate that the weather variation might be the cause of an early modification of the landscape, perhaps for agriculture.

 
Colonial Indigenous and Mestizo foodways: ceramic analysis and ethnoarchaeology in the Highlands of Ecuador PDF Print E-mail
Written by Daniela Balanzátegui   
Sunday, 22 April 2012 02:44

Daniela Catalina Balanzátegui, 2012, Colonial Indigenous and Mestizo foodways: ceramic analysis and ethnoarchaeology in the Highlands of Ecuador, M.A. thesis, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University.

Abstract:

Archaeological approaches regarding cultural change or continuity after the Spanish conquest of America have been focused on presenting proportions of European (majolica) vs. Indigenous (coarse earthenware) ceramic styles. This thesis provides a reconstruction and quantification of vessel forms from an 18th century household (Riobamba, Ecuador). The results are compared with inventories and interviews from ten modern Indigenous and Mestizo households in the Highlands of Ecuador, in order to understand colonial food preparation and consumption traditions. Testing colonial practices, this work proposes that Mestizo population has been politically situated to practice European foodways to maintain social status and reinforce their separation from Indigenous people. Indigenous people intentionally continue local traditions of communal feasting with the use of large pots to express their identity. The theoretical implications of these findings shed light on a complex combination of domestic practices as builders of negotiable ethnic identities.

More details on Simon Fraser University's website

Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 April 2012 05:34
 
Reconstruction of fishing activities in Pre-Colombian civilisations of the Southern Manabí Coast (Ecuador) on the basis of a comparison between actual and Holocene marine ichthyofauna PDF Print E-mail
Written by Philippe Béarez   
Monday, 19 March 2012 05:48

Thèse présentée pour l'obtention du diplôme de DOCTORAT DU MUSEUM NATIONAL D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE, spécialité : Ichtyologie Générale et Appliquée, par Philippe BÉAREZ : Comparaison Des Ichtyofaunes Marines Actuelle Et Holocene Et Reconstitution De L'activite Halieutique Dans Les Civilisations Precolombiennes De La Cote Du Manabi Sud (Équateur).

Abstract

The tropical semiarid climate of the coastal Southern Manabí is strongly influenced by oceanographic conditions and ENSO events. The related marine environment is poorly known, so data concerning the continental shelf ichthyofauna has been collected from small scale fishery landings, dive samplings and observations. Of the 606 species compiled from the bibliographic sources, 235 have been encountered, of which we have to add 15 new records and one new species of Myrocongridae; that brings the total up to 622. The biogeographic affinity of the fauna is mainly tropical (Panamanian province), although at least ten per cent of the species belong to the Peruano-Chilean province. Most of the collected and identified specimens have been incorporated in the osteological reference collection, which now counts 350 skeletons representing 220 species.

The archaeological assemblage of fish remains collected from Salango (site 141B-T3) corresponds to Engoroy and Guangala occupations spanning more than one thousand years (from 900 BC to 300 AD). The identification of 4,200 of the 24,859 fish bone fragments brought to light during the excavation represents 65 species in 35 families. The analysis of species composition, frequency of occurrence and number of identified specimens indicate that Engoroy Level I is distinct from the Engoroy II and Guangala levels, and that the environmental pattern was the same as today. A predominance of scombrid remains suggests that Euthynnus lineatus, Katsuwonus pelamis and Thunnus albacares, in that order, comprised the main catch of the ancient people of Salango. Further analyses suggest that the beach seine was the most likely fishing technique used by these people, operating cooperatively on coastal migration sites. Bottom fishes were also exploited, primarily by hook and line, as well as small mediolittoral fishes, through the poisoning of tide pools. Marine resources were exploited in both specialized and opportunist ways and there is no doubt they contributed mainly to the subsistence and possibly the development of coastal groups during Engoroy and Guangala phases.

Key-words: Eastern Pacific, Ecuador, Salango, Ichthyology, Archaeoichthyology, PreColombian fishing, Scombridae.

Download the manuscript [PDF]

 
Condition of Social Change at El Dornajo, Southwestern Ecuador PDF Print E-mail
Written by Sarah Taylor   
Wednesday, 08 February 2012 12:29

Sarah Ruth Taylor, 2010, Condition of Social Change at El Dornajo, Southwestern Ecuador. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Abstract:

This dissertation explores the role of internal and external conditions of social change at the site of El Dornajo in the El Oro-Tumbes region of southern Ecuador / northern Peru. The El Oro-Tumbes region lies on the boundary between the central and northern Andean culture areas. Consequently, the developmental trajectory of this region has often been seen as closely tied to that of its more complex neighbors. Indeed, as inter-regional interaction between these areas increased through time, the potential for such interactions to affect the intermediate region also increased. However, the El Oro-Tumbes region is also the epicenter of El Niño activity along the South American, coast making environmental hazards an equally plausible condition for social change. The possible role of these conditions, inter-regional interaction and environmental hazards, were examined at the site of El Dornajo, a central place in the Zarumilla River Valley during the Regional Development Period. Results indicate that neither condition was a catalyst for social change, although each played a role in the developmental trajectory of the site in ways not originally anticipated. Existing data suggest that social inequality at El Dornajo was most directly associated with land rights and regional interaction between elites that were manifest at the site in clambakes and the display of prestige goods.

Download the PDF from the webpage of the University of Pittsburgh

Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 February 2012 12:59
 
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