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Pre-Columbian Earthworks in the Riberalta Region of the Bolivian Amazon

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Pre-Columbian Earthworks in the Riberalta Region of the Bolivian Amazon Pre-columbian earthworks in the riberalta region of the bolivian amazon 104 Pre-columbian Pre-columbian earthworks in the EARTHWORKS IN THE riberalta region of the RIBERALTA REGION OF THE bolivian amazon BOLIVIAN AMAZON S A N N A S A U N A L U O M A university of helsinki, finlândia 105 Saunaluoma, S. Abstract PRE-COLUMBIAN EARTHWORKS IN THE RIBERALTA REGION OF THE BOLIVIAN AMAZON Interpretations of the Amazonia prehistory have changed sig- nificantly in the last few decades, as the complexity and diversity of the Amazonian cultures are beginning to be documented and understood. Earthworking, a long-term conscious anthropogenic landscape alteration, was a widespread phenomenon throughout the South American tropical lowlands. A variety of earthworks has been documented in the Southwest Amazon, including ditches and embankments of different shapes and sizes, roads, extensive raised fields, canals, causeways, and artificial wetlands linked to adjacent mounds and forest island settlement sites. A field survey and test excavations were undertaken in the region of Riberalta, in the Bolivian Amazon. The purpose of these investigations was to study the distribution and characteristics of the pre-Columbian occupation in the region. We found different types of sites, some without visible earthworks, indicating fairly dense occupation on river bluffs and terra firme, but lacking long permanence in the same location. The earthwork tradition prevailed in the Riberalta region from at least 100 B.C. until the period of European con- tact. The function of the less-complex earthworks may have been to enclose the occupation areas, and in some cases, to serve as canals. Compared to the variable layout of the sites, the ceramic assemblages of the region are relatively homogeneous. A central objective for future research will be to determine if the earthwork sites correlate with a single or multiple cultural traditions. Keywords: Southwest Amazonian archaeology, earthworks, ce- ramic traditions. Resumo OBRAS DE TERRA PRÉ-COLOMBIANAS NA REGIÃO DE RIB- ERALTA, AMAZÔNIA BOLIVIANA Interpretações da pré-história Amazônica tem mudado significa- tivamente nas últimas décadas, na medida em que a complexidade e diversidade das culturasamazônicas começam a ser documen- tadas e entendidas. Construções de terra, na forma de alterações consciente de paisagens ao longo do tempo, foi um fenômeno di- fundido através das terras baixas tropicais. Diversas construções 106 Amazônica 2 (1): 104-138, 2010 Pre-columbian earthworks de terra tem sido documentadas no sudoeste amazônico, incluin- do trincheiras e muretas de diversas formas e tamanhos, estradas, campos de cultivo, canais, caminhos e terras inundáveis artificiais ligadas a assentamentos na forma de montículos e ilhas de flores- tas. Prospecções e escavações-teste foram realizadas na região de Riberalta, na Amazônia Boliviana. O objetivo dessas investiga- ções era estudar a distribuição e características da ocupação pré- Colombiana na região. Encontramos diferentes tipos de sítios, alguns sem obras de terra visíveis, indicando ocupação densa das ribanceiras de rios e terra firme, mas sem longo tempo de per- manência nos mesmos locais. A tradição de construção de obras de terra prevaleceu na região de Riberalta de pelo menos 100 AC até o período do contato europeu. A função dessas obras menos complexas pode ter sido de circundar áreas de ocupação e, em alguns casos, servir como canais. Comparada ao leiaute variável dos sítios, a cerâmica da região é relativamente homogênea. O objetivo principal para as pesquisas futuras será determinar se os sítios com obras de terra correspondem a uma única ou várias tradições culturais. Palavras-chave: Arqueologia do sudoeste da Amazônia, obras de terra, tradições cerâmicas. Resumen OBRAS DE TIERRA PRE-COLOMBINAS EN LA REGIÓN DE RIBERALTA, AMAZONÍA BOLIVIANA Las interpretaciones de la Amazonia prehistórica han cambiado significativamente en las últimas décadas, como la complejidad y diversidad de culturas amazônicas están empezando a ser docu- mentados y comprendidos. Construcciones de tierra, altaraciones conscientes del paisaje, a largo plazo, fue un fenómeno generaliza- do en las tierras bajas tropicales. Varias construcciones de tierra han sido documentadas en el Sudoeste del Amazonas, incluyendo trincheras y muros de piedra de diferentes formas y tamaños, car- reteras, campos agrícolas, canales, carreteras humedales artificales vinculados a los asentamientos en forma de montículos y las islas de bosque. Estudios y excavaciones de prueba se llevaron a cabo en la región de Riberalta en la Amazonia boliviana. El objetivo de estas investigaciones fue estudiar la distribución y características de pre-ocupación precolombina en la región. Nos encontramos con diferentes tipos de sitios, algunos con obras de tierra visible, Amazônica 2 (1): 104-138, 2010 107 Saunaluoma, S. lo que indica la ocupación densa de las orillas de ríos y barrancas de tierra firme, pero carecien de larga permanencia en los mismos lugares. La tradición de del movimiento de tierras prevaleció en la región de Riberalta de al menos 100 antes de Cristo hasta el período de contacto con los europeos. La función de estas obras menos complejas puede haber estado ocurriendo alrededor de las áreas de ocupación y, en algunos casos, sirven de canales. En com- paración con la distribucion variable de los sítios, la cerámica de la región es relativamente homogénea. El objetivo principal para la investigación futura será determinar si los sitios con las obras de las tierras corresponden a uno o más de las tradiciones culturales. Palabras clave: Arqueología del sudoeste de la Amazonía, obras de tierra, tradiciones cerámicas. 108 Amazônica 2 (1): 104-138, 2010 Pre-columbian earthworks At certain times and places, the results have changed drastically (Heckenberg- of prehistoric environmental manage- er & Neves 2009; Stahl 2002). The vast ment were so profound that they are complexity and diversity of the cultures easily observable even today. Earth- of the tropical lowlands are beginning work engineering, a testimony to long- to be documented and understood. term conscious anthropogenic land- The idea of independent development scape alteration, seems to have been a of Amazonian regional cultural tradi- widespread phenomenon throughout tions, the existence of wide-spread the South American tropical lowlands, and continuous long-term permanent even though the existence of such settlements in the interfluvial areas, as earthworks has only recently been ac- well as on the well documented river- knowledged by scholars. A variety of ine bluffs, and the phenomena of late earthworks have been reported from prehistoric complex chiefdom societ- different parts of the Southwest Ama- ies is increasingly accepted. Resent re- zon1 (Figure 1). These include complex search has focused on flows of cultural earthworks formed by ditches, enclo- influences and traits, networks of ex- sures, and roads of different shapes change and knowledge, and the unique and sizes in the Brazilian State of ability of the pre-Columbian societies Acre (Dias & Teixeira 2008; Pärssinen of the Amazonia to alter and control et al. 2003, 2009; Schaan et al. 2007), their environment (Balée & Erickson semicircular and circular ditches and 2006; Heckenberger et al. 2008; Hill embankments in the north of Bolivia & Santos-Granero 2002; Woods et al. (Arellano 2002; Arnold & Prettol 1988; 2009). Saunaluoma et al. 2002; Saunaluoma & In this article, I present and discuss the Korhonen 2003), ring-ditches on for- results of a survey and test excavations est islands in the savannas in Baures undertaken in the region of Riberalta, and Santa Ana de Yacuma of the Lla- in the departments of Beni and Pando nos de Mojos, in eastern Bolivia (Er- in the Bolivian Amazon. The purpose ickson et al. 1997, 2008; Prümers et of these investigations was to study al. 2006; Walker 2008b), and, perhaps the distribution and characteristics of as the most impressive example of the pre-Columbian occupation in an landscapes of earthworks, extensive area with few recorded archaological raised fields, canals and ditches of sites, and to identify, determine the many types, causeways, and artificial functions of, document the variation wetlands linked to adjacent mound of and date the earthworks in the Rib- and forest island settlement sites in eralta region. This research contributes the Central Llanos de Mojos (Dene- to the knowledge of the pre-Columbi- van 1966; Erickson 1995, 2001, 2006; an cultural sequences not only of the Walker 2008a). northern lowlands of Bolivia but also In the last couple of decades, interpre- of the Southwest Amazon in general. tations of the prehistory of Amazonia Amazônica 2 (1): 104-138, 2010 109 Saunaluoma, S. days at a time. The tropical white-water rivers Beni and Madre de Dios, originating in the Andean mountain range, dominate the landscape of the region with their floodplains and numerous tributaries. In the Amazon plain, the meandering of the rivers causes notable processes of erosion and sedimentation in the Figure 1 - Southwest Amazon, main rivers proximity of the riverbanks. The aver- and regions mentioned in the text. age annual migration of the meanders of the Beni River is 30 m, but can ex- RESEARCH AREA tend to as much as 140 m (Gautier et Riberalta was founded in 1894 at the al. 2008). The soils of the region are confluence of the Beni and Madre de mainly weathered clayed latosols typi- Dios rivers, 80 km from the Brazilian cal of the Amazonian plain. border. Established as a rubber boom center, today Riberalta is the primary LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF exporter of Brazil nuts in Bolivia, and THE SITES with its population of 95,000 inhab- itants, the second-largest town in the Prior to the present study, only few ar- Department of Beni. The region’s chaeological sites in the region of Rib- contemporary ethnic groups, Chaco- eralta were known to scholars: the Tu- bo, Pakawara, Cavineño, and Esse Ejja, michucua earthwork complex (Arnold belong to the Panoan-Tacanan lan- & Prettol 1988; Myers 1988:76), the guage family (Teijeiro et al.
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