MODELING LONG-TERM HUMAN POPULATION DYNAMICS USING KERNEL DENSITY ANALYSIS OF ¹⁴C DATA IN THE ATACAMA DESERT (18º–21ºS)

Abstract

Food production is one of the most significant achievements in Andean history. The domestication of plants and animals presented an enormous challenge, relating to changing technologies, settlement patterns, and social organization. This paper aims to assess Atacama Desert population dynamics and their relationship to the domestication of plants and animals through chronological modeling using kernel density estimation on radiocarbon (14C) dates, assuming that a higher 14C probability density is related to more intense human occupation. The analysis is based on a 14C dataset comprising 1003 14C dates (between 11,000 and 150 BP) from 243 archaeological sites in the Arica and Tarapacá regions of northern Chile, collected from published data. We observed two population-dynamics inflection points for these regions. First, starting at ca. 3000 BP, constant population growth occurred, which was related to horticulture in the Arica region and to agriculture in the Tarapacá region. Second, between ca. 1000 and 400 BP, a general population rise occurred due to the consolidation of intensive agriculture in the lowlands and precordillera altitudinal belts in both regions and the integration of the coast and the altiplano into macro-regional population dynamics.

Almacenamiento Y Gestión Comunitaria Del Excedente Agrícola en Los Andes Centro Sur (Siglos Xiii-Xvi)

“…A partir del PIT (ca. 1000-1400 DC), la proliferación de asentamientos en los valles y la sierra y la concentración de dataciones radiocarbónicas son indicativas de un incremento demográfico en los Valles Occidentales (Mendez-Quiros et al 2023). Se pueblan espacios donde previamente había una ocupación humana de baja intensidad, como en el Valle de Lluta y la precordillera (2.600-3.100 msm) (Saintenoy et al 2017;Santoro et al 2009); a la vez que se consolidan los principales núcleos de poblamiento en las cuencas de Ilo, Lluta y Azapa.…”