Subsistence Economies and the Origins of Andean Complex Societies

Abstract

Recent arguments stating that marine resources were relatively unimportant in cultural developments on the coast of Peru during the Preceramic Period are incorrect on several counts. It is shown that the economics and technology of maritime subsistence of coastal Peru are more complex than previously thought, that the nutritional values of terrestrial versus maritime foods are debatable, that the dynamics of El Niño events are complex, and that maritime resources must still be seen as important for Preceramic Period economies. [Central Andes, coastal adaptations, ecological anthropology, origins of complex societies]

Thriving and declining: climate variability shaping life-history and population persistence of Mesodesma donacium in the Humboldt Upwelling System

“…Therefore, the expansion and dominance of M. donacium, a species with a presumably Antarctic origin (von Ihering 1907, Marins & Levy 1999, seem closely linked to the expansion of cold-water conditions through the Humboldt Current. Given its sensitivity to high temperature, the recurrent warming effect of El Niño, at least since the Holocene (Ortlieb et al 2000), has caused a recurrent southward retraction of M. donacium populations as demonstrated by changes in diversity and abundance of species in kitchen middens found along the Peruvian coast (Quilter & Stocker 1983, Sandweiss 1996. A progressive southern retraction of M. donacium, along with several sub-Antarctic species, may also be foreseeable under the scenario of an increasing frequency of El Niño events, which has been discussed in connection with ongoing global warming (Timmermann et al 1999).…”

Evidence for maize ( Zea mays ) in the Late Archaic (3000–1800 B.C.) in the Norte Chico region of Peru

“…One key question relates to the presence and role of maize (Zea mays) agriculture in the economy and diet of the Late Archaic population. For many years, it was debated whether or not maize was present at all in the Late Archaic (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9).…”

Reconstrução de padrões paleopatológicos dentais em agricultores incipientes e desenvolvidos do litoral dos Andes Centrais

“…Estes pesquisadores afirmam que o sustento marinho teria sido substituído precocemente pela produção de milho e outras espécies cujo registro, no entanto, fora subestimado por uma provável subrepresentação das evidências no registro arqueológico (Raymond, 1981;Wilson, 1981;Quilter & Stocker, 1983;Bonavia, 1982Bonavia, , 1996Dillehay et al, 2007).…”

“…A técnica consistia em assar o molusco e armazená-lo dentro de um poço coberto com areia limpa e seca. Quilter & Stocker (1983) sugerem que isto poderia ter sido usado em previsão de um fenômeno ENSO ou como estratégia para sobrelevar carências sazonais. Bonavia (2000Bonavia ( , 2008 sugere que esta técnica teria sido usada para também preservar milho.…”

“…A hipótese denominada "Fundação marinha da Civilização Andina" salienta a importância dos produtos marinhos complementados com recursos vegetais das "lomas", como o padrão que deu sustento suficiente às populações em crescimento e em processo inicial de complexificação. Isso implicaria em uma tardia introdução da agricultura em larga escala na região 40 (Moseley, 1975;Quilter & Stocker, 1983). …”