The application of archeology in Chile and some aspects of Neolithic in its northern part

Date

Oct 27, 2015

Time

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Speaker

Catalina Morales Cifuentes

Affiliation

Universidad de Chile (Santiago de Chile)

Language

en

Main Topic

Sprache, Literatur und Kultur

Other Topics

Sprache, Literatur und Kultur

Description

Archeology in Chile is currently carried out via two non-related systems: one private system of compensation and prevention of damage to archaeological heritage and a second state system of academic research. The academic research operates with the support of universities and is sponsored by the Fund for Scientific and Technological Research. The first system of heritage and environmental protection is a bidding system in which private companies directly contract an archaeological office or team and these private companies become the lawful owners of the information collected by the researchers. This environmental protection system is regulated by the Environmental Assessment Service and the National Monuments Council. However, these institutions have been weakened in the last years and must face the excess demand of private projects added to the pressure exerted by large, powerful companies. Classical archeology has been associated Neolithic to the emergence of civilization that involves the development of agriculture and livestock, associated with sedentary practices. But on the coast of Arica it was not developed as in other parts of the world. In the Andean region the Neolithic process is best called Formative Period, characterized by changes in the system of social organization. In recent years the interpretation of the Formative Period has turned to local processes of complexity. In the case of the western valleys from de North of Chile, agriculture had not a significant role during the Neolithic between 3400–2300 B.P. Probably it was the wealth provided by the Pacific Coast and the fishing-hunting-gathering economy which promote the social and productive complexity during the Early Formative process.

Last modified: Oct 1, 2015, 10:03:49 AM