Prehispanic Llama and Alpaca Breeds
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A MEASURE OF LOSS: PREHISPANIC LLAMA AND ALPACA BREEDS A MEASURE OF LOSS: PREHISPANIC LLAMA AND ALPACA BREEDS RAZAS PREHISPANICAS DE LLAMAS Y ALPACAS; LA MEDIDA DE LO QUE SE HA PERDIDO Wheeler*, J.C., A.J.F. Russel* and H.F. Stanley** * The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute. Hartwood Research Sta. Sholls. Lanarkshire ML7 AJY, U.K. (Present address Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. San Marcos University. Apartado 5137, Lima 3, Perú) ** Conservation Biology Group, Institute of Zoology, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, U.K. Additional Keywords Palabras clave adicionales Domestic South American Camelidae. Fiber Camélidos domésticos sudamericanos. Produc- production. Perú. Natural mummification. DNA. ción de fibras. Perú. Momificación natural. DNA. SUMMARY The discovery of 900-1000 year old naturally huacaya fleeces are 32.3 ± 2.5 µ (Carpio, 1991), mummified llamas and alpacas at the archaeologi- but the range of variation throughout the Andes cal site of El Yaral (Moquegua, Perú) has permitted is undoubtedly greater. Degeneration in both lla- detailed study of native andean breeds prior to ma and alpaca fiber quality can be explained as a european contact. The analysis of skin and fiber result of hybridization due to a breakdown in samples provides evidence of the previous controlled breeding, a not improbable scenario existence of two llama and two alpaca breeds. amid the chaos and destruction of the conquest. The llamas included a fine fiber breed (fleece Sixteenth and seventeenth century spanish sour- mean 22.4 ± 2.3 µ) which is apparently extinct, ces document the virtual disappearance of llama and a coarse fiber breed (fleece mean 34.8 ± 7.3 and alpaca herds, as well as up to 80 p.c. of the µ) which is similar to contemporary animals but human population, within little more than a cen- with a more uniform fleece. Among the alpacas tury following the conquest of Cuzco in 1532. extra fine fiber (fleece mean 18.0 ± 1.1µ) and a Analysis of DNA from the prehispanic specimens fine fiber (fleece mean 23.6 ± 1.6 µ) breeds were will provide baseline data for evaluating the ex- distinguished. The prehispanic specimens exhibit tent of hybridization in present llamas and alpacas. a uniformity of fiber color, distribution and fine- ness characteristic of controlled systematic bree- ding which is absent in contemporary animals. RESUMEN Published statistics for contemporary peruvian llama fleeces vary from 27.0 ± 15.6 µ for woolly El descubrimiento de llamas y alpacas natural- ccaras to 35.3. ± 17.8 µ for nonwooly chakus mente momificadas hace 900 a 1000 años en el (Vidal, 1967); while long wool suri alpacas average sitio arqueológico de El Yaral, Moquegua, Perú, 26.8 ± 6.0 µ (Von Bergen, 1963) abd short wool ha permitido por primera vez la descripción de Archivos de Zootecnia,Arch. Zootec. vol. 41, 41núm. (extra): 154 (extra), 467-475. p. 4671992. WHEELER et al. sus razas autóctonas prehispánicas. Mediante an environmental crisis of unpreceden- análisis de muestras de piel y fibra, se han obteni- ted magnitude. With the introduction do evidencias de la preexistencia de dos razas de of Old World cultigens, animals, llamas y dos de alpacas. Existía una raza de llamas, farming practices, and legislation the aparentemente ya extinta, de fibra fina sin pelos landscape was irreversibly altered (promedio del vellón 22,4 ± 2,3 µ; y otra de fibra and native genetic resources impove- gruesa (promedio del vellón 34,8 ± 7,3 µ) seme- rished (Crosby, 1972). In the Andes, jante a los animales de hoy pero más uniforme. previously unknown diseases reduced Había alpacas con fibra extrafina (promedio del the human population by an estimated vellón 18,0 ± 1,1 µ) y otras de fibra fina (prome- 80 percent leading to economic and dio del vellón 2,6. ± 1,6 µ). Las llamas y alpacas social disintegration of native societies antiguas fueron seleccionadas intensivamente, (Wachtel, 1977). Native llama and pues se caracterizan por uniformidad de finura, alpaca herds also virtually disappeared conformación del vellón y color, mientras que las within little more than a century fo- actuales se caracterizan por su gran variación en llowing the conquest of Cuzco in 1532 el grosor, pilosidad y color de su fibra, producto (Flores Ochoa, 1977 and 1982). Euro- del cruzamiento no controlado. En las llamas pean livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, peruanas actuales el diámetro promedio del and pigs) rapidly displaced llamas vellón varía desde 27,0 ± 15,6 µ para las ccaras and alpacas from their coastal and lanudas hasta 35,3 ± 17,8 µ para los chakus pela- highland valley range, and pushed dos (Vidal 1967); mientras que en las alpacas las them into marginal high elevation cifras van de 26,8 ± 6,0 µ para la suri (Von Bergen lands where the newly introduced 1963) y 32,3 ± 2,5 µ para la huacaya (Carpio animals could not survive. Early tax 1991). Sin embargo, es probable que la variación records, laboriously kept by the spa- a través de los Andes sea aún mayor que lo re- niards, illustrate the extent of this portado. El deterioro de la calidad de fibra de las disaster. In 1567, Garci Diez de San actuales llamas y alpacas andinas se puede expli- Miguel, inspector for the spanish car como producto de la hibridación entre am- crown reported a single, privately bas, hecho probablemente ocurrido durante el owned herd of 50000 llamas and alpa- caos y la destrucción que acompañó la conquista cas in the province of Chucuito on the española. Documentos de los siglos XVI y XVII western shore of Lake Titicaca. Five registran la virtual desaparición de la llamas y years later, in 1572, Pedro Gutiérrez alpacas, junto con 80 p.c. de la población humana, Flores counted only 160000 head in en menos de un siglo después de la conquista de the entire province, reflecting the de- Cuzco en 1532. El análisis del ADN de animales vastation of native livestock in what prehispánicos permitirá medir los cambios gené- was undeniably the most important ticos producidos por la conquista y la incidencia center of llama and alpaca production de hibridación en las llamas y alpacas de hoy. in the Andes. The consequences of this catastrophe on contemporary ca- melid production are rarely considered INTRODUCTION and poorly understood. The lack of written records from The European settlement and colo- preconquest times, and the loss of nization of the New World unleashed orally transmitted specialist knowledge Archivos de Zootecnia, vol. 41, núm. 154 (extra), p. 468 A MEASURE OF LOSS: PREHISPANIC LLAMA AND ALPACA BREEDS about llama and alpaca rearing makes to be uniform across the body. Today, it specially difficult to evaluate the all llamas and 80 p.c. of alpacas in the extent to which ideas of european Andes are under the control of origin about stockrearing have in- traditional pastoralists (Novoa, 1981), fluenced management practices. Now, who do not selectively breed for llamas are primarily bred for use as specific phenotypes. The european pack animals and three different concept of breeds, with herd books phenotypes are known, although it is and written records is not part of likely that more exist. Nearly all An- native andean stockrearing practice. dean llamas are of the q’ara or non- wolly type, characterized by lack of fiber on the face and relatively sparse PRECONQUEST LLAMA AND fiber growth. Less common is the ALPACA PRODUCTION ch’aku or woolly llama, which as its name implies, has a heavier fleece Sixteenth century documents indi- with fiber growing on its forehead cate that llama and alpaca production and in its ears. The fiber characteristics and breeding was rigidly controlled of the third variety are intermediate by the Inca government (Murra, 1965). between the q’ara and ch’aku llamas. State herds supplied pack llamas for Color tends to be patchy and varies the royal armies and alpaca wool for from white, to brown, black or grey. textile production. Shrine herds, divi- The fiber is generally coarse and ded according to color, provided sa- hairy, and the consensus of opinion is crificial animals for state religious that the llama is not now and never observances. A hereditary cast of has been bred for fiber production. In State herders, the yana, was apparently contrast, alpacas are kept specifically emerging prior to the conquest. fiber production, and two phenotypes Detailed herd records were kept using can be distinguished based on fiber the quipu, a mnemonic device. and characteristics. Now, approximately textile production and redistribution 90 p.c. of alpacas exhibit the shorter, was largely State controlled. Offerings crimped fibers of the huacaya variety, or sacrificial burning of cloth accom- while 10 p.c. have the long wavy panied all social, religious, military fibers of the Suri type (Wheeler, and political events. Communally and 1991). In appearance, the huacaya is individually owned herds also existed. reminiscent of Corriedale, and the The fundamental importance of suri of Lincoln breeds of sheep. Ani- llama and alpaca production to the mals with intermediate fiber types Inca economy is seen in their repeated exist, but are rare. The genetic factors attempts to conquer the circum Titica- which control these characteristics ca kingdoms to the south. The wealth are not known, and the 9/1 huacaya/ of herds in this region descendend suri ratio is a product of random from the earlier tiwanaku empire, breeding. Fiber color varies from and was unequalled elsewhere in the white to black and brown, including Andes. In contrast with the Inca, ho- all the intermediate shades, but tends wever, details concerning Tiwanaku Archivos de Zootecnia, vol. 41, núm. 154 (extra), p. 469 WHEELER et al. and earlier stockrearing practices are origin, and a direct result of their limited because there are no written displacement by spanish introduced records.