Archaeology in the Átures Rapids of the Middle Orinoco, Venezuela
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Lozada Mendieta, N et al 2016 Archaeology in the Átures Rapids of the Middle Orinoco, Venezuela. Archaeology International, No. 19: pp. 73–78, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/ai.1913 RESEARCH UPDATE Archaeology in the Átures Rapids of the Middle Orinoco, Venezuela Natalia Lozada Mendieta, José Oliver and Philip Riris Project Aims Research Context This paper briefly reports on the initial The Orinoco River is the salient physio- results of a new Leverhulme-sponsored graphic feature that shaped the unfolding of four-year archaeological project (RPG 234- history of the aboriginal groups living along 2014) centred on the Átures Rapids area its fringes. It stretches for over 2,200 km from of the Middle Orinoco River, Amazonas its source in the Parima range of the Guyana State, Venezuela (Fig. 1). The Cotúa Island uplands debauching into the Atlantic Ocean. Reflexive Archaeology Project seeks to estab- Its basin drains an area of 880,995 km2 with lish the longue durée historical processes major tributary rivers originating in the that by early colonial times culminated Northern Andes and Guiana uplands, whilst in the region’s reputation for being a key the Casiquiare Canal connects the Orinoco crossroads – where diverse ethno-linguistic to the Upper Río Negro. Along its course, the groups from far-flung regions converged to main channel traverses biodiverse habitats trade (Oliver et al. 2014). Harnessing new evi- (Lasso et al. 2010); including dense tropical dence, it aims to elucidate how interaction rain forest in the upper reaches and savan- between such diverse indigenous groups nahs with gallery forests in the middle and unfolded and the role it played in forg- lower reaches. The Orinoco region cur- ing ethnogenesis. Through archaeological rently comprises over 26 indigenous groups research, it seeks to gain new insights into (Gassón, 2002) representing a diverse cul- its history and elucidate regional patterns tural mosaic that is thought to have ancient of exchange through the study of technical pre-colonial roots. Several points along the and stylistic dimensions of material culture. Middle Orinoco have been identified as It also aims to investigate the abundant important trading loci, linking the Llanos of pre-colonial rock art and its relationships the Orinoco with the Guianas (Morey, 1975; to the landscape and aboriginal oral tradi- Zucchi and Gassón, 2002). But among these tions. Finally, it seeks to understand how loci, the most notorious is the Átures area. Western and Non-western archaeological The Berrío Expedition (1584) documents knowledge is produced by engaging with indicate that the Isla de Los Adoles (or Átures the current indigenous groups as partners in Island) was the only area to qualify as a trade (re) constructing history. centre (Ojer 1960). Two reasons were given. First, the Spaniards repeatedly remarked on the bountiful availability of fish in the Átures Rapids –i.e., a reliable, year-round store of UCL Institute of Archaeology, London WC1H 0PY, GB proteins. Second, upriver navigation from Corresponding author: Natalia Lozada Mendieta the delta finds its first major obstacle for ([email protected]) navigation in the rapids, therefore forcing 74 Lozada Mendieta et al: Archaeology in the Átures Rapids of the Middle Orinoco, Venezuela an obligatory detour for all canoe travel- and Valloid traditions found in the same lers. Thus situated, Átures (see Fig. 1) was an occupation context and the occurrence of important crossroad for exchange and inter- ‘hybrid’ ceramics that share decorative and action among different indigenous groups. tempering elements. However, the nature of According to Spanish sources, this area was the social processes (trade, exchange, migra- inhabited by Ádole Indians who regularly tion) that may have led to such admixture or traded with Carib-speaking parties from ‘hybridity’ of ceramic traditions is still poorly Guiana and with various other ethnic groups understood. The aboriginal trade dynamics from the Venezuelan-Colombian Llanos of the 16th to 18th centuries, influenced by (plains). The islanders exchanged fish, crops colonial powers, ought not to be assumed and wood for ceramic vessels, metal weap- to be similar in pre-colonial times (Zucchi ons, beads and indigenous slaves (Del Rey and Gassón 2002). Furthermore, these tra- Fajardo, 1966). Besides the Ádole two other ditions are suggested to correlate with the groups, Yaruro and Máipure, inhabited these distribution of two major linguistic families – islands. All along the Middle Orinoco the Arawakan (Saladoid, Barrancoid) and Carib salient characteristic is the co-presence and (Arauqinoid, Valloid) –, which is problematic intersection of different cultural, ethnic and when extended back into the pre-colonial linguistic groups. A small number of archaeo- past (Tarble and Zucchi 1984; Tarble 1985). logical studies conducted in the Átures region (Cruxent, 1950; Barse, 1989; Gassón 2002) Fieldwork and Preliminary Results seem to support the notion of a multi-eth- The first fieldwork season was conducted in nic trading centre in pre-colonial times. This September 2015 at the Culebra site, located assertion is based on the presence of earlier at the confluence of the Cataniapo and Saladoid and Barrancoid or later Arauquinoid the Orinoco rivers (see Fig. 1). Systematic Figure 1: The Átures Rapids area, Middle Orinoco River. Insets: (a) The Guayuco Rapids; (b) Excavation at Picure site; (c) Petroglyph; (d) Quartz flakes and cores from Culebra site (Photos the Project). Lozada Mendieta et al: Archaeology in the Átures Rapids of the Middle Orinoco, Venezuela 75 surface collections, auger tests and three X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyses to be con- trench excavations were conducted. A total ducted later in 2016. At this time, it is pre- of 197 lithic artefacts and over 2,800 ceramic mature to confidently determine to which sherds, was retrieved. At the base of Trench C, styles and traditions the ceramic assem- a preceramic component was identified, con- blages belong. However, diagnostic ceramics sisting of crystal quartz flakes and debitage of the Barrancoid, Arauquinoid, Valloid and associated with several red ochre features. Cedeñoid traditions have been noted, along Although radiocarbon dates are awaited, a with others that cannot yet be assigned. similar assemblage from Provinical-1 site (15 To establish their relationship with the km to the north of Culebra) yielded a single broader Orinoco region, the ceramic materi- uncalibrated date of 9020 ± 100 BP (Barse als from 23 different archaeological sites in 1989). The top 20–25cm of Trenches A and B the Orinoco and the Western Llanos were contained the bulk of the ceramic deposi- reviewed. These collections are curated at tion at Culebra, mixed with appreciable the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones amounts of cracked milky quartz. Trenches Científicas in Caracas and the Enzo Ceccarelli A-B lacked evidence of a preceramic occupa- Museum in Puerto Ayacucho. tion. The analysis of the data and artefacts is still ongoing whilst the results of charcoal Documenting Rock Art samples submitted for dating are currently The corpus of engraved rock in the Orinoco being processed. Tentatively, the evidence region has received sporadic attention com- suggests that Culebra’s occupation consisted pared to painted rock art (Greer 1995). While of temporary shacks where fisher-folk stayed older anthropological treatises tend to con- repeatedly. sider the subject unworthy of serious study, In February 2016, some scouting visits to Im Thurn (1883) recognized the potential various archaeological sites were undertaken, insights into the beliefs and practices of pre- including Rabo de Cochino Island where an colonial people. Cruxent (1949) provides important surface collection was obtained tantalizing clues as to the richness of the (to be investigated in 2017). However, work Átures petroglyphs. Tavera-Acosta (1956), focused on Picure Island, where a controlled Sujo Volsky (1975) and Dubelaar (1986) syn- surface collection and five test units, resulted thesised new information, albeit in a highly in 10,594 ceramics, 4,084 lithics and 69 abbreviated form. These earlier studies pro- beads. The beads were shaped from exotic vide an excellent backdrop against which stones, some of which were fractured dur- to compare the rich landscape of rock art ing the manufacturing process and others we encountered. To situate the extensive were unfinished. Following Roux’s (2011) undocumented corpus of rock art of Átures technical traditions methodology, an initial within a broader regional perspective, we classification was developed from 12,238 initiated a systematic survey of exposed rock excavated potsherds from the Picure and faces using computational photographic Culebra sites. Based on a preliminary mac- techniques. A total of nine locations with roscopic analysis of forming techniques and petroglyphs were included in the basic pho- paste preparation recipes (emphasizing type tographic sample (Fig. 1c). Some individual of inclusions, grain size and paste colour), zoomorphs on Picure have a surface area six different fabric groups were identified. greater than 5 m2 (Fig. 2a), in these cases Culebra exhibited an additional paste rec- structure-from-motion photogrammetry ipe. These paste groups show differentiated derived from low-altitude aerial imagery has use of inclusions/temper: sand, clay pellets, successfully reconstructed panels too large or fibre and sponge spicule (or cauxi). The con-