Ceremonial and Psychotropic Plants of the Tiwanaku (AD 500-1000): New Evidence for Erythroxylum Coca and Anadenanthera Colubrina from the Omo Temple in Moquegua, Peru.

Summary

The consumption of psychotropic substances is a ceremonial practice widespread worldwide since antiquity, however, archaeological evidence for the role of plants in rituals is scarce and interpretations are mostly derived from ethnographies and iconography. Among other methods of analysis, Paleoethnobotany is one of the most indicated for the finding of micro and macro remains involved in ceremonies. This paper presents the results of a Paleoethnobotanical analysis conducted at the site of Omo M10A, a Tiwanaku Temple located in the Moquegua Valley, in Southern Peru, built and in use during the Middle Horizon Period (AD 500-1000). The analysis of field-screened remains and soil samples from floor contexts and features revealed the presence of Erythroxylum Coca and Anadenanthera Colubrina, two plants known to be central in ancient Andean rituals, demonstrating how Paleoethnobotany is essential for a complete understanding of ceremonial contexts in archaeology. This paper evaluates deposits, artifacts and ecofacts associated with these rare finds, shedding new light on Tiwanaku rituals in the lowlands.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Use of Plants in Ancient Rituals: New Perspectives from Paleoethnobotany   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15653