A signature element of the Inca Empire is the highly standardized assemblage of ceramic vessels f... more A signature element of the Inca Empire is the highly standardized assemblage of ceramic vessels found across the length and breadth of the imperial realm. The question of how such standardization was achieved has long intrigued Inca scholars and led to a growing number of investigations into the organization of imperial pottery production. The present study contributes to this body of research through a compositional analysis of Inca-style pottery recovered from various sites in Ecuador. The goal of the analysis was to gain insight into where imperial-style wares from this region were produced. The results of the study indicate that production of Inca-style vessels in the distant provinces was less regulated than in areas nearer the imperial center. This suggests that local potters may have been free to emulate imperial forms, but that certain standards of care in paste preparation may have nonetheless been followed to elevate the state-styles above local varieties.
Resumen
Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación arqueológica llevada a cabo en... more Resumen Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación arqueológica llevada a cabo en Intinqala, Municipio de Copacabana, Bolivia en 2016. La investigación comprendió un programa diseñado a identificar y documentar la presencia y distribución sub-superficial de restos arqueológicos en este sector importante de Copacabana. Las excavaciones revelaron evidencia de una importante ocupación inca justo debajo de los restos modernos. Significativamente, no se identificó ocupaciones más tempranas dentro de los límites del sitio. Reportado aquí son los resultados preliminares de los análisis de los rasgos arqueológicos encontrados y los materiales recuperados en el sitio.
Palabras claves: Imperio inca, paisaje sagrado, Intinqala, Copacabana
Summary This article presents the results of archaeological investigations carried out in the Intinqala sector of the Copacabana, Bolivia, in 2016. The fieldwork undertaken aimed to identify and document the presence and distribution of sub-surface archaeological remains in this important sector of Copacabana. Excavations revealed a significant Inca occupation at this site just below the surface. Importantly, no Tiwanaku or earlier period occupations were recorded within the boundaries of the site. Here we report on the types of archaeological features identified at the site and our preliminary analyses of archaeological materials recovered.
We report here on the results of an exploratory study to identify sources of potting clays in the... more We report here on the results of an exploratory study to identify sources of potting clays in the northern highlands of Ecuador and establish a geochemical baseline for analysing patterns of ceramic production and exchange dating to the late prehistoric period from this region. Our geographic focus is Imbabura Province, Ecuador, a region that represented the core territory of the proto-historic Caranquí-Cayambe population and the northernmost frontier of the Inca Empire. Initial field work involved interviews with modern potters as well as field survey to locate good quality clays and to reconstruct the context of clay mineral formation in this environment. Our preliminary survey indicated that highly plastic clays are not abundant in the volcanic soils of northern Ecuador; thus an important aspect of this study involved first establishing the range of potential raw material resources (clays and tempers) available to prehistoric potters, as well as their distribution and spatial scale or extent. Subsequent laboratory analyses paired trace-element and petrographic analyses of 169 prehispanic ceramic vessels and 65 comparative clays and modern ceramic vessels to evaluate their chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Our results provide an intriguing indicator of communication within and perhaps among tola communities.
Resumen
El sitio arqueológico de Caranqui comprende uno de los múltiples centros de montículos m... more Resumen El sitio arqueológico de Caranqui comprende uno de los múltiples centros de montículos monumentales que caracterizó el paisaje precolombino de la provincia de Imbabura en la sierra septentrional del Ecuador. Esta zona fue antiguamente asociada con la etnia de los Caranqui-Cayambe durante el Período Tardío precolombino. Una vez numerosas, pero rápidamente desapareciendo, los terraplenes culturales enormes representan un legado sumamente importante del pasado y una ventana única dentro de la vida cotidiana, política, y ceremonial de los imbabureños autóctonos. En este artículo, revisamos brevemente los datos etnohistóricos pertenecientes a los Caranqui-Cayambe, proveemos una actualización sobre los resultados de investigaciones arqueológicas recientes pertenecientes a las tolas de la región, y documentamos—en base de la memoria e historia oral de los habitantes, además de los vestigios arqueológicos—las tolas perdidas de la parroquia de Caranqui.
Palabras claves: Montículos monumentales, paisajes precolombinos, Caranqui-Cayambe, Andes septentrionales, Ecuador, perdida de patrimonio cultural.
Abstract The archaeological site of Caranqui constitutes one of the numerous centers of monumental earthworks that characterized the pre-Columbian landscape of the province of Imbabura in the northern highlands of Ecuador. This zone was the territory of the Caranqui-Cayambe ethnic group during the late pre-Columbian period. The enormous cultural mounds or tolas, formerly found throughout this region but fast disappearing, constitute an important material legacy of the past and a unique window into the daily, political, and ceremonial lives of the original inhabitants of this region. In this article, we briefly review the ethnohistoric data pertaining to the Caranqui-Cayambe; provide an update on the results of recent research on the mound sites of the region; and document on the basis of oral history, collective memory, and archaeological vestiges, the “lost tolas” of the village of Caranqui.
Keywords: Platform mounds, pre-Columbian landscapes, Caranqui-Cayambe, northern Andes, Ecuador, loss of cultural heritage
Recent research on the northern frontier of the Inca Empire is generating new information pertai... more Recent research on the northern frontier of the Inca Empire is generating new information pertaining to the affairs of the imperial state in the final decades of its existence. The region to the north of Quito associated with the ethnic Caranqui-Cayambe and Pasto populations was the last to be effectively annexed by the Inca prior to the Spanish invasion. The highly militarized landscape of this region speaks to the intensity and duration of the final Inca wars of conquest, while recently discovered sites such as that of Inca-Caranqui provide a window into evolving strategies of statecraft in the latter phases of empire. Fresh analyses of ethnohistoric sources are similarly re-focusing attention on the importance of Inca actions in this region in the immediate aftermath of Atahualpa’s execution. By more fully integrating the archaeological data from Ecuador into the larger narrative of Tawantinsuyu, our understanding of the evolution of imperial policies, practices, and politics is enriched and new lines of inquiry are suggested.
Resumen. Este artículo informa sobre las investigaciones Recientes en el sitio impeRial taRdío in... more Resumen. Este artículo informa sobre las investigaciones Recientes en el sitio impeRial taRdío inca-caRanqui localizado en la fRonteRa noRte del tawantinsuyu. los estudios inteRdisciplinaRios Realizados en este sitio desde el año 2008 se han diRigido a exploRaR el papel de la aRquitectuRa impeRial como una estRategia mateRial de la política incaica y el tipo o clases de tácticas militaRes y sociales que pueden habeR evolucionado poR pResión del tiempo y la distancia entRe caRanqui y el cuzco. las investigaciones en el sitio han implicado el uso de sensoRes Remotos de RadaR (gpR), técnicos geoquímicos, el uso expeRimental de lidaR paRa la RepResentación 3d, excavaciones contRoladas y estudios etnohistóRicos. una descRipción y algunos Resultados pReliminaRes de estas actividades se pResentan en este aRtículo. los hallazgos discutidos aquí incluyen nuestRa inteRpRetación de los componentes estRuctuRales del sitio y su configuRación, los mateRiales y técnicas de constRucción, los contextos fechados y el significado de la manipulación del agua en el sitio. palabRas clave: impeRio inca-aRquitectuRa hidRaúlica inca-caRanqui. abstRact this papeR RepoRts on Recent investigations at the late impeRial site of inca-caRanqui located at the noRtheRnmost edge of tawantinsuyu. the inteRdisciplinaRy ReseaRch conducted at this site since 2008 has been aimed at exploRing the Role of impeRial aRchitectuRe as a mateRial stRategy of inca statecRaft and the extent to which such stRategies may have evolved as a function of time and distance fRom the impeRial capital of cuzco. investigations at the site have involved the use of a vaRiety of methodological techniques as well as contRolled excavations, and ethnohistoRic ReseaRch. an oveRview of the ethnohistoRic context of the site togetheR with some of the pReliminaRy Results of ouR fieldwoRk aRe pResented in this papeR. key woRds: inca empiRe-hydRaulic inca aRchitectuRe-caRanqui.
This article reports on recent investigations at the late imperial site of Inca-Caranqui located ... more This article reports on recent investigations at the late imperial site of Inca-Caranqui located at the northernmost edge of Tawantinsuyu. The interdisciplinary research conducted at this site since 2008 has been aimed at exploring the role of imperial architecture as a material strategy of Inca statecraft and the extent to which such strategies may have evolved as a function of time and distance from the imperial capital of Cuzco. Investigations at the site have involved the use of a variety of methodological techniques as well as controlled excavations and ethnohistoric research. An overview of the ethnohistoric context of the site together with some of the preliminary results of our fieldwork are presented in this article. Este artículo informa sobre las investigaciones recientes en el sitio imperial tardío Inca-Caranqui localizado en la fron-tera norte del Tawantinsuyu. Los estudios interdisciplinarios realizados en este sitio desde el año 2008 se han dirigido a explorar el papel de la arquitectura imperial como una estrategia material de la política incaica y el tipo o clases de tácticas militares y sociales que pueden haber evolucionado por presión del tiempo y la distancia entre Caranqui y el Cuzco. Las investigaciones en el sitio han implicado el uso de sensores remotos de radar (GPR), técnicos geoquímicos, el uso experimental de LiDAR para la representación 3D, excavaciones controladas, y estudios etnohistóricos. Una descripción y algunos resultados preliminares de estas actividades se presentan en este artículo. Los hallazgos discutidos aquí incluyen nuestra interpretación de los componentes estructurales del sitio y su configuración, los materiales y técnicas de construcción, los contextos fechados, y la significancia de la manipulación del agua en el sitio.
The relatively recent availability of terrestrial lidar for mapping archaeological subjects has a... more The relatively recent availability of terrestrial lidar for mapping archaeological subjects has allowed for great advances in representation and reconstruction but the analytic potential of this technology remains underdeveloped in archaeology. This paper provides an overview of the analytical directions we are taking with point cloud data generated through ground-based laser scanning at the imperial Inca site of Caranqui in northern Ecuador. Our approach to data analysis employs insights and ideas from the domains of GIScience, remote sensing, cartography, computer vision and hydrology. While creating a comprehensive visual record of the site was an important project goal, we also sought to develop improved methods of feature extraction and surface calibration to better understand water manipulation and flows at the site. Here we highlight some of the preliminary results of our analyses as well as the challenges and benefits of employing terrestrial lidar to investigate a mid-sized archaeological site.
In "La Cerámica Arqueológica en la Materialización de la Sociedad: Transformaciones, Metáforas, y Reproducción Social," Gustavo de la Fuente and María Cecilia Páez (eds.), pp. 61-78. Universidad de Catamarca, Argentina., 2011
Ethnohistoric sources suggest that the indigenous inhabitants of Andean South America saw both pe... more Ethnohistoric sources suggest that the indigenous inhabitants of Andean South America saw both people and things as animated or enlivened by a common vital force (camaquen). In approaching the subject of camaquen archaeologically, I attempt to place objects and their materiality at the analytical centre, rather than the normally privileged ethnohistoric or ethnographic data, in order to see what new insights into the nature of Pre-Columbian ontologies might be gained from ‘thinking through things’. In this, I follow recent theories premised on the idea that the traditional segregation of concepts and things may hinder understanding of alternative worlds. The study focuses specifically on the arrangements, relationality and referentiality between and among objects found in sacred and offering contexts dating to the Inca period.
A signature element of the Inca Empire is the highly standardized assemblage of ceramic vessels f... more A signature element of the Inca Empire is the highly standardized assemblage of ceramic vessels found across the length and breadth of the imperial realm. The question of how such standardization was achieved has long intrigued Inca scholars and led to a growing number of investigations into the organization of imperial pottery production. The present study contributes to this body of research through a compositional analysis of Inca-style pottery recovered from various sites in Ecuador. The goal of the analysis was to gain insight into where imperial-style wares from this region were produced. The results of the study indicate that production of Inca-style vessels in the distant provinces was less regulated than in areas nearer the imperial center. This suggests that local potters may have been free to emulate imperial forms, but that certain standards of care in paste preparation may have nonetheless been followed to elevate the state-styles above local varieties.
Resumen
Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación arqueológica llevada a cabo en... more Resumen Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación arqueológica llevada a cabo en Intinqala, Municipio de Copacabana, Bolivia en 2016. La investigación comprendió un programa diseñado a identificar y documentar la presencia y distribución sub-superficial de restos arqueológicos en este sector importante de Copacabana. Las excavaciones revelaron evidencia de una importante ocupación inca justo debajo de los restos modernos. Significativamente, no se identificó ocupaciones más tempranas dentro de los límites del sitio. Reportado aquí son los resultados preliminares de los análisis de los rasgos arqueológicos encontrados y los materiales recuperados en el sitio.
Palabras claves: Imperio inca, paisaje sagrado, Intinqala, Copacabana
Summary This article presents the results of archaeological investigations carried out in the Intinqala sector of the Copacabana, Bolivia, in 2016. The fieldwork undertaken aimed to identify and document the presence and distribution of sub-surface archaeological remains in this important sector of Copacabana. Excavations revealed a significant Inca occupation at this site just below the surface. Importantly, no Tiwanaku or earlier period occupations were recorded within the boundaries of the site. Here we report on the types of archaeological features identified at the site and our preliminary analyses of archaeological materials recovered.
We report here on the results of an exploratory study to identify sources of potting clays in the... more We report here on the results of an exploratory study to identify sources of potting clays in the northern highlands of Ecuador and establish a geochemical baseline for analysing patterns of ceramic production and exchange dating to the late prehistoric period from this region. Our geographic focus is Imbabura Province, Ecuador, a region that represented the core territory of the proto-historic Caranquí-Cayambe population and the northernmost frontier of the Inca Empire. Initial field work involved interviews with modern potters as well as field survey to locate good quality clays and to reconstruct the context of clay mineral formation in this environment. Our preliminary survey indicated that highly plastic clays are not abundant in the volcanic soils of northern Ecuador; thus an important aspect of this study involved first establishing the range of potential raw material resources (clays and tempers) available to prehistoric potters, as well as their distribution and spatial scale or extent. Subsequent laboratory analyses paired trace-element and petrographic analyses of 169 prehispanic ceramic vessels and 65 comparative clays and modern ceramic vessels to evaluate their chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Our results provide an intriguing indicator of communication within and perhaps among tola communities.
Resumen
El sitio arqueológico de Caranqui comprende uno de los múltiples centros de montículos m... more Resumen El sitio arqueológico de Caranqui comprende uno de los múltiples centros de montículos monumentales que caracterizó el paisaje precolombino de la provincia de Imbabura en la sierra septentrional del Ecuador. Esta zona fue antiguamente asociada con la etnia de los Caranqui-Cayambe durante el Período Tardío precolombino. Una vez numerosas, pero rápidamente desapareciendo, los terraplenes culturales enormes representan un legado sumamente importante del pasado y una ventana única dentro de la vida cotidiana, política, y ceremonial de los imbabureños autóctonos. En este artículo, revisamos brevemente los datos etnohistóricos pertenecientes a los Caranqui-Cayambe, proveemos una actualización sobre los resultados de investigaciones arqueológicas recientes pertenecientes a las tolas de la región, y documentamos—en base de la memoria e historia oral de los habitantes, además de los vestigios arqueológicos—las tolas perdidas de la parroquia de Caranqui.
Palabras claves: Montículos monumentales, paisajes precolombinos, Caranqui-Cayambe, Andes septentrionales, Ecuador, perdida de patrimonio cultural.
Abstract The archaeological site of Caranqui constitutes one of the numerous centers of monumental earthworks that characterized the pre-Columbian landscape of the province of Imbabura in the northern highlands of Ecuador. This zone was the territory of the Caranqui-Cayambe ethnic group during the late pre-Columbian period. The enormous cultural mounds or tolas, formerly found throughout this region but fast disappearing, constitute an important material legacy of the past and a unique window into the daily, political, and ceremonial lives of the original inhabitants of this region. In this article, we briefly review the ethnohistoric data pertaining to the Caranqui-Cayambe; provide an update on the results of recent research on the mound sites of the region; and document on the basis of oral history, collective memory, and archaeological vestiges, the “lost tolas” of the village of Caranqui.
Keywords: Platform mounds, pre-Columbian landscapes, Caranqui-Cayambe, northern Andes, Ecuador, loss of cultural heritage
Recent research on the northern frontier of the Inca Empire is generating new information pertai... more Recent research on the northern frontier of the Inca Empire is generating new information pertaining to the affairs of the imperial state in the final decades of its existence. The region to the north of Quito associated with the ethnic Caranqui-Cayambe and Pasto populations was the last to be effectively annexed by the Inca prior to the Spanish invasion. The highly militarized landscape of this region speaks to the intensity and duration of the final Inca wars of conquest, while recently discovered sites such as that of Inca-Caranqui provide a window into evolving strategies of statecraft in the latter phases of empire. Fresh analyses of ethnohistoric sources are similarly re-focusing attention on the importance of Inca actions in this region in the immediate aftermath of Atahualpa’s execution. By more fully integrating the archaeological data from Ecuador into the larger narrative of Tawantinsuyu, our understanding of the evolution of imperial policies, practices, and politics is enriched and new lines of inquiry are suggested.
Resumen. Este artículo informa sobre las investigaciones Recientes en el sitio impeRial taRdío in... more Resumen. Este artículo informa sobre las investigaciones Recientes en el sitio impeRial taRdío inca-caRanqui localizado en la fRonteRa noRte del tawantinsuyu. los estudios inteRdisciplinaRios Realizados en este sitio desde el año 2008 se han diRigido a exploRaR el papel de la aRquitectuRa impeRial como una estRategia mateRial de la política incaica y el tipo o clases de tácticas militaRes y sociales que pueden habeR evolucionado poR pResión del tiempo y la distancia entRe caRanqui y el cuzco. las investigaciones en el sitio han implicado el uso de sensoRes Remotos de RadaR (gpR), técnicos geoquímicos, el uso expeRimental de lidaR paRa la RepResentación 3d, excavaciones contRoladas y estudios etnohistóRicos. una descRipción y algunos Resultados pReliminaRes de estas actividades se pResentan en este aRtículo. los hallazgos discutidos aquí incluyen nuestRa inteRpRetación de los componentes estRuctuRales del sitio y su configuRación, los mateRiales y técnicas de constRucción, los contextos fechados y el significado de la manipulación del agua en el sitio. palabRas clave: impeRio inca-aRquitectuRa hidRaúlica inca-caRanqui. abstRact this papeR RepoRts on Recent investigations at the late impeRial site of inca-caRanqui located at the noRtheRnmost edge of tawantinsuyu. the inteRdisciplinaRy ReseaRch conducted at this site since 2008 has been aimed at exploRing the Role of impeRial aRchitectuRe as a mateRial stRategy of inca statecRaft and the extent to which such stRategies may have evolved as a function of time and distance fRom the impeRial capital of cuzco. investigations at the site have involved the use of a vaRiety of methodological techniques as well as contRolled excavations, and ethnohistoRic ReseaRch. an oveRview of the ethnohistoRic context of the site togetheR with some of the pReliminaRy Results of ouR fieldwoRk aRe pResented in this papeR. key woRds: inca empiRe-hydRaulic inca aRchitectuRe-caRanqui.
This article reports on recent investigations at the late imperial site of Inca-Caranqui located ... more This article reports on recent investigations at the late imperial site of Inca-Caranqui located at the northernmost edge of Tawantinsuyu. The interdisciplinary research conducted at this site since 2008 has been aimed at exploring the role of imperial architecture as a material strategy of Inca statecraft and the extent to which such strategies may have evolved as a function of time and distance from the imperial capital of Cuzco. Investigations at the site have involved the use of a variety of methodological techniques as well as controlled excavations and ethnohistoric research. An overview of the ethnohistoric context of the site together with some of the preliminary results of our fieldwork are presented in this article. Este artículo informa sobre las investigaciones recientes en el sitio imperial tardío Inca-Caranqui localizado en la fron-tera norte del Tawantinsuyu. Los estudios interdisciplinarios realizados en este sitio desde el año 2008 se han dirigido a explorar el papel de la arquitectura imperial como una estrategia material de la política incaica y el tipo o clases de tácticas militares y sociales que pueden haber evolucionado por presión del tiempo y la distancia entre Caranqui y el Cuzco. Las investigaciones en el sitio han implicado el uso de sensores remotos de radar (GPR), técnicos geoquímicos, el uso experimental de LiDAR para la representación 3D, excavaciones controladas, y estudios etnohistóricos. Una descripción y algunos resultados preliminares de estas actividades se presentan en este artículo. Los hallazgos discutidos aquí incluyen nuestra interpretación de los componentes estructurales del sitio y su configuración, los materiales y técnicas de construcción, los contextos fechados, y la significancia de la manipulación del agua en el sitio.
The relatively recent availability of terrestrial lidar for mapping archaeological subjects has a... more The relatively recent availability of terrestrial lidar for mapping archaeological subjects has allowed for great advances in representation and reconstruction but the analytic potential of this technology remains underdeveloped in archaeology. This paper provides an overview of the analytical directions we are taking with point cloud data generated through ground-based laser scanning at the imperial Inca site of Caranqui in northern Ecuador. Our approach to data analysis employs insights and ideas from the domains of GIScience, remote sensing, cartography, computer vision and hydrology. While creating a comprehensive visual record of the site was an important project goal, we also sought to develop improved methods of feature extraction and surface calibration to better understand water manipulation and flows at the site. Here we highlight some of the preliminary results of our analyses as well as the challenges and benefits of employing terrestrial lidar to investigate a mid-sized archaeological site.
In "La Cerámica Arqueológica en la Materialización de la Sociedad: Transformaciones, Metáforas, y Reproducción Social," Gustavo de la Fuente and María Cecilia Páez (eds.), pp. 61-78. Universidad de Catamarca, Argentina., 2011
Ethnohistoric sources suggest that the indigenous inhabitants of Andean South America saw both pe... more Ethnohistoric sources suggest that the indigenous inhabitants of Andean South America saw both people and things as animated or enlivened by a common vital force (camaquen). In approaching the subject of camaquen archaeologically, I attempt to place objects and their materiality at the analytical centre, rather than the normally privileged ethnohistoric or ethnographic data, in order to see what new insights into the nature of Pre-Columbian ontologies might be gained from ‘thinking through things’. In this, I follow recent theories premised on the idea that the traditional segregation of concepts and things may hinder understanding of alternative worlds. The study focuses specifically on the arrangements, relationality and referentiality between and among objects found in sacred and offering contexts dating to the Inca period.
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Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación arqueológica llevada a cabo en Intinqala, Municipio de Copacabana, Bolivia en 2016. La investigación comprendió un programa diseñado a identificar y documentar la presencia y distribución sub-superficial de restos arqueológicos en este sector importante de Copacabana. Las excavaciones revelaron evidencia de una importante ocupación inca justo debajo de los restos modernos. Significativamente, no se identificó ocupaciones más tempranas dentro de los límites del sitio. Reportado aquí son los resultados preliminares de los análisis de los rasgos arqueológicos encontrados y los materiales recuperados en el sitio.
Palabras claves: Imperio inca, paisaje sagrado, Intinqala, Copacabana
Summary
This article presents the results of archaeological investigations carried out in the Intinqala sector of the Copacabana, Bolivia, in 2016. The fieldwork undertaken aimed to identify and document the presence and distribution of sub-surface archaeological remains in this important sector of Copacabana. Excavations revealed a significant Inca occupation at this site just below the surface. Importantly, no Tiwanaku or earlier period occupations were recorded within the boundaries of the site. Here we report on the types of archaeological features identified at the site and our preliminary analyses of archaeological materials recovered.
Key words: Inca Empire, sacred landscape, Intinqala, Copacabana
El sitio arqueológico de Caranqui comprende uno de los múltiples centros de montículos monumentales que caracterizó el paisaje precolombino de la provincia de Imbabura en la sierra septentrional del Ecuador. Esta zona fue antiguamente asociada con la etnia de los Caranqui-Cayambe durante el Período Tardío precolombino. Una vez numerosas, pero rápidamente desapareciendo, los terraplenes culturales enormes representan un legado sumamente importante del pasado y una ventana única dentro de la vida cotidiana, política, y ceremonial de los imbabureños autóctonos. En este artículo, revisamos brevemente los datos etnohistóricos pertenecientes a los Caranqui-Cayambe, proveemos una actualización sobre los resultados de investigaciones arqueológicas recientes pertenecientes a las tolas de la región, y documentamos—en base de la memoria e historia oral de los habitantes, además de los vestigios arqueológicos—las tolas perdidas de la parroquia de Caranqui.
Palabras claves: Montículos monumentales, paisajes precolombinos, Caranqui-Cayambe, Andes septentrionales, Ecuador, perdida de patrimonio cultural.
Abstract
The archaeological site of Caranqui constitutes one of the numerous centers of monumental earthworks that characterized the pre-Columbian landscape of the province of Imbabura in the northern highlands of Ecuador. This zone was the territory of the Caranqui-Cayambe ethnic group during the late pre-Columbian period. The enormous cultural mounds or tolas, formerly found throughout this region but fast disappearing, constitute an important material legacy of the past and a unique window into the daily, political, and ceremonial lives of the original inhabitants of this region. In this article, we briefly review the ethnohistoric data pertaining to the Caranqui-Cayambe; provide an update on the results of recent research on the mound sites of the region; and document on the basis of oral history, collective memory, and archaeological vestiges, the “lost tolas” of the village of Caranqui.
Keywords: Platform mounds, pre-Columbian landscapes, Caranqui-Cayambe, northern Andes, Ecuador, loss of cultural heritage
In approaching the subject of camaquen archaeologically, I attempt to place objects and their materiality at the analytical centre, rather than the normally privileged ethnohistoric
or ethnographic data, in order to see what new insights into the nature of Pre-Columbian ontologies might be gained from ‘thinking through things’. In this, I follow recent theories
premised on the idea that the traditional segregation of concepts and things may hinder understanding of alternative worlds. The study focuses specifically on the arrangements,
relationality and referentiality between and among objects found in sacred and offering contexts dating to the Inca period.
Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación arqueológica llevada a cabo en Intinqala, Municipio de Copacabana, Bolivia en 2016. La investigación comprendió un programa diseñado a identificar y documentar la presencia y distribución sub-superficial de restos arqueológicos en este sector importante de Copacabana. Las excavaciones revelaron evidencia de una importante ocupación inca justo debajo de los restos modernos. Significativamente, no se identificó ocupaciones más tempranas dentro de los límites del sitio. Reportado aquí son los resultados preliminares de los análisis de los rasgos arqueológicos encontrados y los materiales recuperados en el sitio.
Palabras claves: Imperio inca, paisaje sagrado, Intinqala, Copacabana
Summary
This article presents the results of archaeological investigations carried out in the Intinqala sector of the Copacabana, Bolivia, in 2016. The fieldwork undertaken aimed to identify and document the presence and distribution of sub-surface archaeological remains in this important sector of Copacabana. Excavations revealed a significant Inca occupation at this site just below the surface. Importantly, no Tiwanaku or earlier period occupations were recorded within the boundaries of the site. Here we report on the types of archaeological features identified at the site and our preliminary analyses of archaeological materials recovered.
Key words: Inca Empire, sacred landscape, Intinqala, Copacabana
El sitio arqueológico de Caranqui comprende uno de los múltiples centros de montículos monumentales que caracterizó el paisaje precolombino de la provincia de Imbabura en la sierra septentrional del Ecuador. Esta zona fue antiguamente asociada con la etnia de los Caranqui-Cayambe durante el Período Tardío precolombino. Una vez numerosas, pero rápidamente desapareciendo, los terraplenes culturales enormes representan un legado sumamente importante del pasado y una ventana única dentro de la vida cotidiana, política, y ceremonial de los imbabureños autóctonos. En este artículo, revisamos brevemente los datos etnohistóricos pertenecientes a los Caranqui-Cayambe, proveemos una actualización sobre los resultados de investigaciones arqueológicas recientes pertenecientes a las tolas de la región, y documentamos—en base de la memoria e historia oral de los habitantes, además de los vestigios arqueológicos—las tolas perdidas de la parroquia de Caranqui.
Palabras claves: Montículos monumentales, paisajes precolombinos, Caranqui-Cayambe, Andes septentrionales, Ecuador, perdida de patrimonio cultural.
Abstract
The archaeological site of Caranqui constitutes one of the numerous centers of monumental earthworks that characterized the pre-Columbian landscape of the province of Imbabura in the northern highlands of Ecuador. This zone was the territory of the Caranqui-Cayambe ethnic group during the late pre-Columbian period. The enormous cultural mounds or tolas, formerly found throughout this region but fast disappearing, constitute an important material legacy of the past and a unique window into the daily, political, and ceremonial lives of the original inhabitants of this region. In this article, we briefly review the ethnohistoric data pertaining to the Caranqui-Cayambe; provide an update on the results of recent research on the mound sites of the region; and document on the basis of oral history, collective memory, and archaeological vestiges, the “lost tolas” of the village of Caranqui.
Keywords: Platform mounds, pre-Columbian landscapes, Caranqui-Cayambe, northern Andes, Ecuador, loss of cultural heritage
In approaching the subject of camaquen archaeologically, I attempt to place objects and their materiality at the analytical centre, rather than the normally privileged ethnohistoric
or ethnographic data, in order to see what new insights into the nature of Pre-Columbian ontologies might be gained from ‘thinking through things’. In this, I follow recent theories
premised on the idea that the traditional segregation of concepts and things may hinder understanding of alternative worlds. The study focuses specifically on the arrangements,
relationality and referentiality between and among objects found in sacred and offering contexts dating to the Inca period.