Análisis de fitolitos: relación humano-ambiente en un contexto doméstico huapula, sitio el edén (1300-1400 d.c.)

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. At the El Edén site, in the Upano Valley, a Huapula domestic context (1300–1400 CE) was found on a mound previously built by the Upano culture. Paleoecological data indicate the absence of anthropic disturbance during 1300–1400 CE; however, these results are debatable, because the presence of human groups inevitably implies some level of environmental transformation. For this reason, stratigraphic sediment samples were collected, along with samples from three features: a floor (R7), a set of hearths (R3), and an isolated hearth (R9). Through phytolith analysis and the integration of Historical Ecology and Paleoethnobotany, domestic activities were identified, which allowed for an approximation to the human–environment relationship. The study concluded that Socratea exorrhiza was essential for construction purposes; R3 is associated with food preparation, and R9 functioned as a hearth for providing heat and light. In addition, the identification of palm taxa, fruit trees (Chrysobalanaceae), and domésticated plants such as maize and manioc suggests the existence of an agroforestry system near the settlement. Although agroforestry may have impacted the areas adjacent to the settlement, it did not do so on a large scale; therefore, paleoecological records do not register this type of anthropic activity at broader scales of analysis. It is inferred that the Huapula landscape was constructed not only for subsistence but also embedded with social and cultural aspects. Keywords: phytoliths, Huapula, Historical Ecology, Paleoethnobotany.