THE ARCHAEOLOGIST, THE PUNA, AND THE MULETEER (1976-1989): CHRONICLE AND REFLEXIONS ON THE DISCOVERY, EXCAVATION, AND INTERPRETATION OF EARLY SITES IN THE ANDES OF ARICA AND PARINACOTA
EL ARQUEÓLOGO, LA PUNA Y EL ARRIERO (1976-1989): CRÓNICA Y REFLEXIONES SOBRE HALLAZGOS, EXCAVACIONES E INTERPRETACIONES DE LOS SITIOS TEMPRANOS EN LOS ANDES DE ARICA Y PARINACOTA
DOI: https://doi.org/1/10.4067/s0717-73562026000100409
Paula C. Ugalde
, Magdalena García and Daniela Osorio
Key Words: Arica y Parinacota Puna, early peopling, early Archaic, research history and mobility models of hunter-gatherer societies.
Abstract
We present a chronicle and reflections on the archaeological research conducted by Calogero Santoro during the 1970s and 1980s. These studies allowed him to discover, excavate, and interpret the earliest human occupations in the puna of the Arica and Parinacota Region (12000 to 9500 BP), as well as to construct the first chronological and historical-cultural sequence for the Archaic period in this region. This article stems from an extensive interview with our colleague and friend, Calogero, together with a close reading of his work, which was fundamental to understanding how hunter-gatherer groups decided to settle in the Andean puna. From the dominant Mediterranean-centered perspective, this environment has often been regarded as one of the most adverse on the planet, overlooking cultural perspectives and frequently ignoring the richness and biodiversity of this landscape. We explore four aspects of his work: (1) How he began working in the puna, and how he discovered and excavated these archaeological sites; (2) the support he received from Esteban Blanco, a muleteer and llama and alpaca herder; (3) the development of the model of early human occupation and the Archaic settlement in the Dry Puna: and (4) what it was like to conduct research at these sites in Chile during the civic-military dictatorship (1973-1989). Our analysis highlights the importance of local pastoral traditions for understanding ancient patterns of human mobility and settlement. It also points to what remains incomplete about the model: the discovery of residential sites in the lower puna (≤4,000 masl).
