The Atacama Desert coast, which receives no rainfall at all, is where the Chinchorros chose to live. This desert stretches for about 1,500km along the shores from southern Peru (Ilo, ca. latitude 18°S) to Copiapo in northern Chile (ca. latitude 27° S). The Atacama Desert
Handbook of South American Archaeology, edited by Helaine Silverman and William H. Isbell.
Springer, New York, 2008
Varies gradually in width, from north to south, from a few kilometers to about 150 km. The extreme dryness of this environment is a product of the crosswinds from the Pacific Ocean pushing the coastal humidity up into the Andes Mountains. However, some unusual areas like the mining village of Paposo (ca. 25° S), south of the Atacama, with its tall coastal mountains, block the rise of the coastal humidity creating a humid microclimate, resulting in a thick coastal fog. The fog or even light rain (locally called garua or camanchaca) can allow for the formation of relatively lush vegetation (lomas) with grasses and cactus, which attracts lizards, rodents, birds, and camelids. Isolated humid microclimates have been reported for prehispanic coastal environments, for instance in southern Peru as well, but these were rare and far between. Despite the aridity, the Atacama region has a diverse coastal geography, ranging from dry areas with steep cliffs to tiny swampy estuaries.
How and why did Chinchorro people choose to settle in such a dramatic and harsh environment? There is growing evidence that ancient people settled by the coast early and rapidly. Many early sites have been discovered along the coast, from north to south: Quebradas Tacahuay and Jaguay, the Ring site, Quebrada Los Burros in Peru, dating to late Pleistocene and early Holocene epochs (ca. 11,000-9000 BC), and further south along the Chilean coast are the sites of Acha and Las Conchas, dating to the early Holocene (ca. 8000-6000 BC) (Arriaza 1995; Llagostera 1992; Sandweiss 2003; Sandweiss et al. 1998; Wise 1999). Paleo-environmental reconstructions indicate more water resources than today (DeFrance and Humire 2004; Latorre et al. 2003; Lavallee 2000; Lavallee et al. 1999; Nunez and Grosjean 1994; Sandweiss 2003; Sandweiss et al. 1998) which facilitated animal diversity and human survival to some extent, but it was not a striking difference compared to modern conditions.
Settlement of the Atacama Desert coast was possible for two main reasons. First, small rivers carry run-off water from highland rain and snowmelt, and these cut through the desert at widespread intervals, forming narrow gorges and rivers, which drain to the Pacific Ocean. This creates patchy areas of plants and wildlife along the desert and particularly near the drainages. Such oases provided small hospitable and more varied environments for small groups of early humans to exploit. In addition, the geomorphology of the region provided occasional springs. Even today, local farmers tap aquifers along the valleys for agricultural purposes. Where fresh water accumulates cattails, totora reeds and grasses flourish, providing easy to collect terrestrial resources and raw materials (plants, birds, eggs, river shrimp, combustible materials, and even wood) (Arriaza 1995; Bird 1943; Llagostera 1992; Munoz, Arriaza and Aufderheide 1993; Nunez 1983; Schiappacasse and Niemeyer 1984).
The second variable that allowed for early occupation was the bounty of the Pacific Ocean. The rich and diverse biomass generated an ever-present set of marine resources with seaweed, fish, mollusks, marine birds, sea mammals, and even whales. Thus, it was the combination of small and patchy fresh water resources and the bounty of the Pacific Ocean that allowed early hunter-gatherers and fisher folk to survive and even flourish in this harsh region.
However, movement along the coast was difficult. The shore was rocky and rugged with cliffs common. Instead, early fisher folk explored the area by walking along the top of the coastal cordillera. Occasional beaches and harvesting grounds provided haven to prehistoric explorers.
Likely greater highland precipitation and de-glaciation allowed a more abundant and permanent water flow toward the Pacific slopes of the Andes, as compared to the present day chronic hyper-arid climate. In addition, coastal temperatures were, possibly, cooler
Than today. Unfortunately, as pointed out by Sandweiss (2003), there are no actual paleocli-matic sequential records for the Atacama coastal desert. Most data come from inland studies where better paleo records are present. Fossil rodent middens (2,400-3,200 masl) and wetland deposits (2,500-2,700 masl) near the Salar de Atacama in the central Atacama (ca. latitude 22-24°S) showed there was a wet phase from 5000 to 1500 BC (Nunez, Grosjean, and Cartagena 2002; Sandweiss 2003). At mid-Holocene times when Chinchorro artificial mummification was present, there was a wet phase on the Pacific slope of the Andes.
The cyclical El Nino phenomenon, still a factor today in worldwide weather patterns, also played a major role during the early Holocene that created variations in water temperatures that were generally warmer. However, after 3000 BC the water temperature became cooler again. Even today (2004-05), there are cyclical variations, with plagues of jellyfish and other warm water species along the northern Chilean coast, species that were uncommon only a year ago.
In prehistoric times, such environmental variation may have created new resources to exploit, while others diminished. The presence of large shell middens and cemeteries suggests that harvesting was plentiful at many locations like Quiani, Playa Chinchorro-Las Machas, Caleta Vitor, Quebrada de Camarones, and Pisagua Viejo (Figures 3.1, 3.2). Their primary food was mollusks such as Concholepas concholepas (scallops) and Fissurella spp. (mussels), fish, and pelicans. Mollusks were so plentiful that the early inhabitants left many large shell mounds along the coast of modern Peru and Chile. In addition, there is evidence that they hunted wild camelids and marine mammals such as sea lions. The small rivers also provided totora reeds to make cords, basketry, clothes and twined mats.
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