Andean caravans: An ethnoarchaeology Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Nielsen, Axel Emil Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 13:00:56 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/289098 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis arxl dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Ann Art)or, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 ANDEAN CARAVANS: AN ETHNOARCHAEOLOGY by Axel Emii Nielsen Copyright © Axel Emil Nielsen 2000 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2000 UMI Number 9965875 Copyright 2000 by Nielsen, Axel Emil All rights reserved. UMI^ UMI Microformg965875 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Infomnation and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Art)or, Ml 48106-1346 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ® GRADUATE COLLEGE As nenbers of the Final Examination Conmittee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Axel Emll Nielsen entitled Andean Caravans: An Ethnoarchaeoloev and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requuement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 9 Date Dr. Michael B. Schiffer f h U /2^^ Dr. William A..^ongi..-_ Longacre Date ^ •y // "O Dr. Maria Niev^s Zedeno Date "y//*y jz^oo Mr. Thomas Park Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direct^n and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requj /Dissertation Dlre'ctor Dr. Mich )ate 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The research presented in these pages was supported by National Science Foundation through a Dissertation Improvement Grant (DBS9215525) awarded to Michael B. Schiffer and by The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research (Small Grants Program). Additional funds for research were provided by Universidad Nacional de Jujuy and by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientfficas y Tecnicas (Argentina). I would like to thank first Mike Schiffer for his support and encouragement. He has been for me an example of creativity, intellectual freedom, and scholarship. In 1984, when I was an undergraduate student of history at the University of Cordoba, Eduardo E. Berberian took me to the southern Bolivian Altiplano (Lipez). During that trip - which determined many things in my life, in the middle of a snow storm, I saw a llama caravan for the first time. I am grateful to him for that opportunity and for his unconditional support throughout these years. My dissertation committee was composed of archaeologists Michael B. Schiffer (chair), William A. Longacre, and Maria Nieves Zedeno, and of cultural anthropologist Thomas Park. They all provided helpful guidance and comments during my research. I greatly benefited from discussions with a number of University of Arizona faculty and graduate smdents, specially Robert M. Netting, E. Charles Adams, Carol Kramer, Norman Yoffee, and Mark D. Elson. Lautaro Nufiez (Universidad Catolica del Norte, Chile) generously shared his unpublished work; conversations with him during my usual stop in San Pedro de Atacama on the way to Lipez have always been an incentive for thought. Discussions with my compadre William H. Walker for over a decade have been particularly thought-stimulating for me. Realizing the importance of ritual for understanding social practice is one of the many things I owe him. Julio Avalos drafted figures 6.4 and 6.5. Malena Vazquez computer-edited all the figures that illustrate this dissertation. I would also like to thank Malena, Julio, and the other members of our archaeological research team - Carlos Angiorama, Francisco Gil Garcia, Humberto Mamani, Karina Menacho, Pablo Mercoli, Gabriela Ortiz, Veronica Seldes, Constanza Taboada - for their excellent work, enthusiasm, and friendship. My thanks also to William Doelle and the staff of Desert Archaeology Inc. for their support during the process of editing this dissertation for submission. I am most grateful to the pastoralists from Cerrillos for their trust, patience, and for all they taught me. I consider myself privileged for having the chance of knowing them and their beautiful land. Lucio Boschi turned my figures into slides for my oral defense. More important, he offered support that was crucial for completing this study. I would have never concluded this dissertation without the encouragement and trust of my wife, Andy Fuchs. My daughter Zoscia was bom, began to walk, and learned her first words while I was writing. I cannot think of a better person to whom I could dedicate my effort. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 11 LIST OF TABLES 13 ABSTRACT 14 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 16 WHY CARAVANS? 16 Foreign Goods and Complementarity Models 16 Focusing on Caravans 23 Previous Research 26 ON THIS STUDY 28 The Project Community - Research Activities 28 Research Scope and Orientation 30 The Organization of this Dissertation 34 ENDNOTES 36 CHAPTER 2: ECONOMIC COMPLEMENTARITY AMONG PASTORALISTS .... 37 PASTORAL PRODUCTIVE FORCES 40 Ability to Exploit Marginal Environments 41 Fragility of Pastoral Wealth 42 Limited Potential for Intensification 43 High Productivity of Labor 44 Lack of Autarky 45 PASTORAL SOCL\L SYSTEMS 46 INTEGRATION WITH OTHER PRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS 51 Diversification 52 Articulation 53 SUMMARY 56 ENDNOTES 59 CHAPTER 3: CARAVANS IN ANDEAN POLITICAL ECONOMY 60 THE ORGANIZATION AND IMPACT OF CARAVAN TRAFFIC 62 Pastoral Specialization of Caravanners 63 Transported Goods 65 Relationship with Elites 68 Ethnic Affiliation and Identity 69 Geopolitical Context 72 Network Configuration 73 On the Nature of Transactions 74 CARAVANS IN COMPLEMENTARITY MODELS 77 Vertical Archipelagoes 78 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Ethnic Economies 80 State Archipelagoes 82 Altiplano Mode 83 Caravans and Clients 85 Circuit Mobility 88 Llamero Trade 92 Complementarity without Caravans 93 ENDNOTES 95 CHAPTER 4: THE ETHNOARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACH 96 ETHNOARCHAEOLOGY 97 Overview 97 Realist Ethnoarchaeology 104 ANALYTIC FRAMEWORK 113 The Need for a Behavioral Approach 113 Systemic Context 119 Social Units 119 Activities and Artifacts 122 Places 125 Time Scales 126 Archaeological Context 127 ENDNOTES 131 CHAPTER 5: THE NATURAL SETTING 132 THE SOUTHERN ALTIPLANO 132 INTERREGIONAL CONTEXT: THE CIRCUMPUNA AREA 142 SPACE AND RESOURCES IN CERRILLOS 145 DISCUSSION: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINS AND OPPORTUNITIES 149 CHAPTER 6: PASTORALISM AND SOCIETY IN CERRILLOS 154 HOUSEHOLD ORGANIZATION 155 Cerrillos' Households 155 Residence and Inheritance 159 Household Cycle 162 PASTORAL PRODUCTION 165 Herd Composition 166 Herd Management 172 The Annual Cycle 177 Other Productive Activities 182 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION 183 State-Related Authorities 184 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Ethnic Authorities 186 DISCUSSION: PASTORALISM AND SOCIETY IN CERRILLOS 192 Dynamics of Economic Wealth 192 "Llamitas are Like Snow " 194 Household Composition and Developmental Cycle 196 Gifts and Inheritance 197 Access to Money and Other External Resources 198 Size of Grazing Areas 200 Dynamics of Non-Economic Wealth 206 Social Networks 209