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Textiles and Ethnicity: Tiwanaku in San Pedro de Atacama, North Chile

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Amy Oakland Rodman*
Affiliation:
Department of Art, California State University, Hayward, CA 94542

Abstract

Examining textiles and other usually perishable artifacts, this paper focuses on textile style as an indicator of ethnicity in archaeological textiles excavated in the cemetery of Coyo Oriental, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. The Coyo Oriental cemetery was occupied during a period of strong Tiwanaku influence in San Pedro de Atacama (A. D. 500-1000) recognized in artifacts decorated with Tiwanaku images. The analysis presented here identifies at least two distinct textile styles recognized in tunic striping, embroidered selvage treatments, and headgear, a fact that possibly indicates a multiethnic use of the cemetery and oasis of Coyo Oriental. Associated textiles and artifacts suggest that one group represents a local style and ethnic group and the other is a different ethnic group closely related to Tiwanaku. Instead of only minor Tiwanaku influence, I suggest that the oasis was home to a foreign altiplano population who maintained for centuries an ethnic identity visible in a distinct textile style.

Este trabajo examina el estilo de textiles como indicador de etnicidad en los textiles arqueológicos del cementerio de Coyo Oriental, San Pedro de Atacama, región II, del norte de Chile durante el período de influencia de Tiwanaku, o aproximadamente desde 500-1000 D. C. La estructura textil y el diseño son analizados en textiles individuales y con textiles de cada bulto funerario completo y también con textiles de bultos funerarios de un solo cementerio. Las textiles de Coyo Oriente son comparados con textiles de una variedad de cementerios prehispánicos en San Pedro de Atacama donde la preservación de artefactos es casi total como la de Coyo Oriental. Los resultados indentifican por lo menos dos estilos textiles distintos en el rayado de las túnicas, el bordado de las orillas, y en el tocado, posiblemente indicando un uso multiétnico del cementerio y del oasis de Coyo Oriental. Identicas túnicas y tocados a las de ambos grupos han sido identificados en otros cementerios de San Pedro de Atacama. El análisis de los textiles, la cestería, la cerámica y los artefactos de madera demuestra que uno de los grupos estaba más ampliamente distribuido en San Pedro de Atacama y que continuó, con algunas modificaciones de estilo, en el período Intermedio Tardío. El otro grupo está asociado más con el oasis de Coyo, tiene textiles y artefactos únicos e iconografia Tiwanaku. Estos resultados sugieren que un grupo representa el estilo y grupo étnico local, y el otro grupo es de un grupo étnico diferente asociado estrechamente con Tiwanaku. El estudio tiene importancia para la interpretación material a preguntas de etnicidad y a preguntas más amplias de intercambio y colonización en el área centro-sur andino. Muchos investigadores han indicados que la influencia de Tiwanaku era débil en San Pedro de Atacama. En cambio, el análisis que aquí se presenta sugiere que la influencia y los artefactos de Tiwanaku han llegado a San Pedro de Atacama con un grupo de gente altiplánica. Este grupo permaneció en el oasis de Atacama por siglos y mantuvo su identidad étnica visible en su estilo textil.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1992

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