The Preceramic Period of Ecuador It is a division used by historians to refer to a stage in the history of the country. Its beginning is dated around 10,000 BC, although some authors offer different dates. Its end, and the beginning of the next period, is marked in 3600 BC..
Although there are different theories about the arrival of the first inhabitants to the American continent, the most widespread affirms that it did so by crossing the Bering Strait. The end of the last ice age allowed them to move south, reaching the lands of present-day Ecuador and establishing some communities there..
These first settlers were, as the remains found show, hunters and gatherers. They stood out in the first activity and there is a historiographic current that relates them to the extinction of some of the great animals of the time.
In Ecuador they settled mainly in two areas: the highlands and the coast. The inhabitants of both locations showed different characteristics, highlighting the beginning of a certain sedentarization among those who settled in the coastal areas. Among the cultures that formed the one of Las Vegas stood out.
Article index
The most widespread theory about the arrival of the first human groups to the American continent states that they came from Asia, crossing the Bering Strait. They were nomads who survived by hunting and gathering and had already developed efficient lithic technology.
The improvement of the climate allowed that these groups could go towards the south, arriving at Ecuadorian lands. There, they fully adapted to the existing ecological conditions.
Experts consider that these migrations began, as a maximum date, about fifty thousand years ago, although they assume that they also occurred much later..
There are different nomenclatures to name these first stages of humanity depending on the area of the planet. In this way, the Preceramic developed while in Europe they were in the Paleolithic.
The difference comes from the long duration of the Paleolithic in Europe, Asia and Africa. During it, the human being evolved from the Australopithecus until the Homo sapiens, something that did not happen in America, where the first inhabitants were already sapiens.
As noted above, the change in the Earth's climate was fundamental for human beings to settle in Ecuador. Between 10,000 and 8000 BC. C. the Pleistocene ended in the Andes and a new geological climatic era called Holocene began..
This was characterized by the retreat of the ice of the last glaciation, totally changing the terrain. In this way, the warming of the area allowed human irruption, facilitated migrations and, with it, that the different areas could be populated.
The Preceramic Period, also called the Paleoindian Period by many historians, is usually dated from 10,000 BC. Until 3,600 BC, in Ecuador, the best known settlements were those of El Inga, Chobshi, Cubilán and Las Vegas.
Within this period, important differences can be found between the settlements in the mountains and those on the coast. The first developed a lithic industry richer in materials, in addition to building utensils with flakes and retouched sheets.
In both cases, they were nomadic groups, organized in hordes or bands. They based their existence on hunting, gathering and fishing.
Some remains found have shown the presence of corn, which has led experts to think that they could practice some type of rudimentary agriculture.
In the Andean area, the first settlers used to settle in temporary camps, since they were nomads. During their stay in each area, they took advantage of the resources they found around, either by hunting or by gathering fruits and roots..
For their part, the experts point out that the inhabitants of the coast began a process of sedentarization. These areas were very rich in resources, from marine animals to plants.
In Ecuador, the evidence shows that the first human groups were organized in hordes or bands. These were made up of few families, without a head office or social classes..
The temporary camps were built with leather tents and sticks. Another option was to take shelter in caves and other natural refuges. These hordes used to stay in the same place as long as hunting and other food resources were enough to survive..
The houses used by these first inhabitants of Ecuador ranged from the huts covered with branches to the use of the caves as shelter.
The huts on the coast have been studied by some experts. The conclusion is that they measured between 150 and 180 centimeters in diameter, built in the shape of a beehive. The walls were covered with dry herbs and branches.
From the beginning of the Preceramic, human groups developed a sophisticated technique to carve the stone. With this material they built weapons and utensils that were used to cut.
Their weapons were powerful enough to hunt medium-sized animals, as well as large prey such as mastodons or giant llamas. Thanks to their skill, they were able to efficiently use their flesh, skin and bones
The archaeologists, thanks to the study of the sites, have come to the conclusion that the first settlements in Ecuadorian lands occurred in the inter-Andean alley. The name given to these settlements is the camp-workshop.
Among the most important is the site of El Inga. This is located at the base of the Ilaló hill, at an altitude of 2520 meters. Its creation dates from approximately 7080 BC and, from the remains found, it is known that its inhabitants manufactured artifacts.
Among the tools that have been found are knives, scrapers and projectile points.
Two other great deposits of the Pre-Ceramic Period were those of Chobshi and Cubilán, dated between the years 8500 BC. and 5585 BC The first was located at a zero of 2400 meters high, where archaeologists have found stone and bone utensils, as well as projectile arrows..
For its part, that of Cubilán was at an altitude of 3,100 meters, in the sub-paramo. The remains found are very similar to the previous two.
The most studied culture of those developed during this period is that of Las Vegas, on the Ecuadorian coast..
Its inhabitants used the wood to make hunting tools, such as javelins and spears. With the reeds they made knives and made farming utensils with large sea shells.
Yet No Comments