Coastal Andean Early Formative

expand_more Description

The Coastal Andean Early Formative tradition is located along the Pacific coast of Peru from southern Ecuador in the north to northern Chile in the south from 4100/3800–3000 BP (2100/1800–1000 BC). The start of the tradition is defined by the introduction of ceramics, and ceramics came into use at different times in different areas: before 5500 BP (3500 BC) in Ecuador, circa 3800 BP (1800 BC) in northern and central Peru and circa 3400–3200 BP (1400–1200 BC) in northern Chile. The people were sedentary and there was a settlement hierarchy with civic/ceremonial centers containing monumental architecture, farming villages along river valleys where irrigation agriculture was possible, and fishing villages along the coastline; inland farmers exchanged vegetable products with coastal dwellers for marine resources. Site sizes and hierarchy may variously indicate chiefdoms or emerging states.

Identifier

Region

• South America

Subregion

• Central Andes

Subsistence Type

• horticulture to intensive agriculture

Countries

• Chile
• Ecuador
• Peru