From ethnography to archaeometry: ceramic production and styles in the Río Grande de San Juan Basin, Bolivia

Summary

The Yavi-Chicha phenomenon in the circumpuneño Andes has been extensively discussed, however, little systematic research has focused on systems of ceramic production. Consequently, multiple questions remain unanswered regarding the organizational systems of Chicha communities during the Late Intermediate Period (ca. A.D. 1000-1450). Today, the core region of the Chichas is an exceptional area of ceramic production. Nearly 70% of the inhabitants of the town of Chipihuayco are actively producing pottery during the dry season. An ethnographic perspective coupled with archaeometric analyses of the operational chain of ceramic production of three women potters provide a unique entry point to explore how production practices are intertwined with technological styles at the household level. This work explores the ethnographic record of the entire operational chain of ceramic production, combined with a detailed characterization of raw materials, in order to determine paste recipes and manufacturing processes. The results will provide new insights into the organization of ceramic production, especially regarding how technological choices and styles are dependent on multiple factors. Additionally, a better understanding of the operational chain of contemporary potters will provide the fundamental basis to develop research questions and hypotheses about past production processes.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage