Vertebrate and Invertebrate Remains at Quilcapampa

Reconstructing Middle Horizon Camelid Diets and Foddering Practices: Microbotanical and Isotope Analyses of Dental Remains from Quilcapampa, Peru

“…Middle Horizon caravan trails bisect the northern edge of the Pacific Piedmont (Bikoulis et al 2018). Quilcapampa, like other Pacific Piedmont sites of the era (Nigra et al 2017), was oriented around these trails: both petroglyph evidence and faunal remains at the site reveal the important role that camelids played in maintaining Wari contacts between the highlands, coast, and intervalley regions of the yungas (Alaica et al 2021;Berquist et al 2021). Ceramic, lithic, botanical, and textile evidence suggest that Quilcapampa's residents maintained interregional interactions throughout the site's short occupation.…”

“…It is important to juxtapose these long-distance connections with local animal management in the yungas. Camelids were central to Quilcapampa's socially charged feasting regime that tied the core area's residents to those living elsewhere in the valley (Alaica et al 2021). Balancing the use of camelids as a source of meat, transport, and fiber required careful decision-making.…”

“…The Yungas, Quilcapampa, and Camelid Foddering Quilcapampa was a 2 ha Wari outpost located about 80 km from the Pacific Ocean near the northern edge of southern Peru's Pacific Piedmont, where the coastal plain meets the Andean foothills (Figures 1 and 2; Supplemental Text 1; Jennings et al 2018Jennings et al , 2021. Llama (L. glama) and alpaca-sized (V. pacos) individuals were present at the site, with osteological analysis suggesting that the animals were used for meat, transport, and fiber (Alaica et al 2021). At 800 m asl, Quilcapampa was situated in the mid-altitude yungas zone (2,300-500 m asl).…”