MORPHOMETRY OF THE TIWANAKU KERU VESSEL: FORMAL CHARACTERIZATION AND CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS

MORFOMETRÍA DEL VASO KERU TIWANAKU. CARACTERIZACIÓN FORMAL E IMPLICACIONES CULTURALES

Juan Villanueva Criales y Esther Travé Allepuz

This article seeks to explore the potential of the morphometric method to contribute to discussions on ceramic variability and social identity in Tiwanaku (ca. AD 500-1100) through the analysis of a hundred complete keru vessels housed in European museums. The study employs a chaîne opératoire theoretical framework and suggests that the production of ceramic forms can hold social importance and may or may not align with other productive stages. It applies a methodology based on 3D scans, measurements, and statistical analysis of morphometric data to achieve a formal classification, which we then discuss in relation to contextual data and other technical and decorative variables. As a result, we identified four morphological groups with their respective variants, including a previously underrecognized straight-walled keru tentatively linked to the Titicaca islands and western valleys. We also discuss the internal morphological diversity within the finest and most standardized ceramics and address the challenges in categorically assigning the concept of Derived Tiwanaku or Cochabamba Tiwanaku to more slender forms. In addition, we reflect on the scope of the morphometric method and underscore the importance of its broader application in the future, both for museum collections and the study of better-contextualized potsherds.

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BEFORE OR AFTER THE HUNT? FRACTURE ANALYSIS OF LITHIC HEADS FROM THE SOUTHERN PATAGONIA COAST (SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA)

¿ANTES O DESPUÉS DE LA CACERÍA? ANÁLISIS DE FRACTURAS DE LOS CABEZALES LÍTICOS DE LA COSTA PATAGÓNICA MERIDIONAL (SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA)

Daniela Soledad Cañete Mastrángelo

Fractured artifacts are often excluded from the analysis of lithic assemblages because they fail to provide an opportunity to obtain complete information. However, fractures themselves can provide valuable data that enhances our understanding of the lithic archaeological record. Therefore, this study analyzes the fracture patterns recorded in lithic points recovered from the ar- chaeological site of Punta Entrada and the area of what is today the Monte León National Park (Santa Cruz, Argentina) in order to identify what led to their production and to generate information about their life histories and the activities carried out by humans in these coastal areas. To achieve this, we followed Weitzel’s (2010) proposal. The sample includes pieces recovered from archaeological sites and isolated finds, all associated with the Late Holocene. This study allowed us to identify various causes of breakage, including errors made during manufacturing and fractures caused by use and impact. It also reinforces previous interpretations made about lithic assemblages and associated human activities, such as the in-situ manufacture of artifacts and venatory practices related primarily to the capture of pinnipeds. Also, it reveals another previously unknown behavior, which may be the intentional breakage of artifacts.

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ARCHAEOLOGY OF A RURAL SETTLEMENT AND ITS URBAN TRANSITION IN MENDOZA (ARGENTINA): TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE EIGHTEENTH TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

ARQUEOLOGÍA DE UN ASENTAMIENTO RURAL Y SU TRANSICIÓN URBANA EN MENDOZA (ARGENTINA): TRANSFORMACIONES DEL SIGLO XVIII AL XX

Cristina Prieto-Olavarría, Sebastián Silvestri, Lorena Puebla, Carlos Frías, Marcos Quiroga, Leonardo Castillo y Horacio Chiavazza

This paper analyzes the social changes that took place at Casa Molina Pico (Pedro Molina district, Guaymallén department, Mendoza), a rural settlement that transitioned from a rural to an urban environment between the 18th and 20th centuries. It examines the activities carried out at the property, changes in its function, and the consumption of manufactured goods, along with patterns of fauna exploitation. It is strategically located between the city center of Mendoza and the large Ciénaga del Bermejo wetland, the latter having a major impact on farmlands, the city, and transportation networks. By integrating archaeological analysis with cartographic evidence and historical records, we propose a gradual transition from a rural way of life focused on subsistence and local production in the 18th century to one associated with urban living and the wine industry, characterized by diversified consumption, during the 19th century, and becoming more consolidated in the 20th century. The transformation of the wetland ecosystem and urban expansion had an impact on fauna exploitation, as the use of wild species gave way to exclusive reliance on domestic animals.

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“FRAGRANT AND REFRESHED”: THE LIFE OF HUACOS IN THE PRACTICE OF CURANDERISMO IN LAMBAYEQUE, PERU

“BIEN PERFUMADOS Y BIEN REFRESCADOS”: LA VIDA DE LOS HUACOS EN LA PRÁCTICA DEL CURANDERISMO EN LAMBAYEQUE, PERÚ

Dé Leonel Soares

This article discusses the role and importance of archaeological pottery in the practice of curanderismo on the northern coast of Peru, specifically in the Lambayeque region. In this area, it is common for curanderos and curanderas to include archaeological pottery, known as huacos, on their altars. When participating in curanderismo, these artifacts emerge from the earth to form other meshwork of relationships beyond those envisioned by archaeological practice and discipline. Thus, huacos are not just seen as ancient objects connecting the past and present, but also as powerful beings capable of assisting the curandero in various “spiritual tasks”. Curanderos and curanderas present themselves as individuals capable of establishing working and caring relationships with these beings to enable them to heal their patients.

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