The Chorrera culture or Chorrera tradition is a Late Formative indigenous culture that flourished between 1300 BCE and 300 BCE in Ecuador.[1] Chorrera culture was one of the most widespread cultures in pre-Columbian Ecuador, spanning the Pacific lowlands to the Andean highlands,[2] and even into southern Colombia.[1]
Other regions exhibit a strong Chorrera influence.
Ceramicsedit
The hallmark of Chorrera culture is its ceramic traditions, which features whistling[3] animal and plant effigy Stirrup spout vessels and human figurines made from molds. Everyday utilitarian pottery was still very fine with thin decorated walls and red or black slips polished to a high sheen. Surfaces of bowls, bottles, ollas, and other ceramic pieces were incised, painted, pattern burnished, or decorated with rocker stamps.[2] Ceramics were used in personal adornments as well, examples being ceramic ear spools and rocker stamps used for body painting.[4]
Unusual decorative features of Chorrera ceramics include resist-painting and iridescent slips.[1]
Use of metalsedit
Chorrera craftsmen produced some of the earliest metal objects in Ecuador. Numerous metal objects and fragments were excavated at the coastal site of Salango. Objects from copper, silver and gold were made, mostly elite goods like jewelry.[5]
Chorrera people fished and hunted as well, catching game such as armadillo, deer (including white-tailed and brocket deer) duck, frogs, lizards, peccary, and various rodents.[6]
Tradeedit
This culture continued the brisk trade network established by Valdivia and Machalilla cultures. Chorrera fisherman traded spiny oyster shells (Spondylus) and other marine shells with people from the Quito basin for obsidian.[6] Gold is traded in the latter centuries BCE.[1]
Declineedit
In 467 BCE, the Pululahua Volcano north of Quito erupted, sending volcanic ash over much of the western Ecuadorian lowland regions, which greatly reduced the expressions of Chorrera culture; however, some Chorrera settlements in the far north and south continued for several centuries. These evolved into more complex cultures of the Regional Developmental Period of 200 and 300 BCE.[7]
Referencesedit
^ abcdWhite, Nancy. "Early Horizon, First Civilization." 2007-06-30 at the Wayback MachineSouth American Archaeology. (retrieved 1 June 2011)
^Ayala Esparza, MA; Gallardo Carillo, GF; Molina-Alarcón, M (2019). "The song of air and water: Acoustic experiments with an Ecuadorian Whistle Bottle (c.900 BC–100 BC)". Internet Archaeology (52). doi:10.11141/ia.52.2. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
Zeidler, J. A. "The Ecuadorian Formative." Helaine Silverman and William H. Isbell, eds. Handbook of South American Archaeology. New York: Springer, 2008. ISBN978-0-387-75228-0.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chorrera culture.
Chorrera ceramics, National Museum of the American Indian
chorrera, culture, chorrera, redirects, here, other, uses, chorrera, disambiguation, chorrera, tradition, late, formative, indigenous, culture, that, flourished, between, 1300, ecuador, most, widespread, cultures, columbian, ecuador, spanning, pacific, lowland. Chorrera redirects here For other uses see Chorrera disambiguation The Chorrera culture or Chorrera tradition is a Late Formative indigenous culture that flourished between 1300 BCE and 300 BCE in Ecuador 1 Chorrera culture was one of the most widespread cultures in pre Columbian Ecuador spanning the Pacific lowlands to the Andean highlands 2 and even into southern Colombia 1 ChorreraLocation of the Chorrera cultureGeographical rangeEcuadorPeriodFormativeDatesc 1300 300 BCEPreceded byMachalillaFollowed byBahia TuncahuanChorrera human effigy fragment Musee d AuchaChorerra zoomorphic whistling spout effigy bottle 23 cm high Museum zu Allerheiligen Contents 1 Regional divisions 2 Ceramics 3 Use of metals 4 Diet 5 Trade 6 Decline 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External linksRegional divisions editDue to variations in ceramics and other material culture Chorrera culture is divided into regional variants These include Mafa Phase northern Esmeraldas Province Tachina Phase southern Esmeraldas Province Tabuchula Phase northern Manabi Province Engoroy Phase Santa Elena Peninsula and Guayas coastal region Chorrera proper Guayas River Basin Early Jubones Phase southeastern Guaya and western Azuay Province Arenillas Phase El Oro Province 2 Other regions exhibit a strong Chorrera influence Ceramics editThe hallmark of Chorrera culture is its ceramic traditions which features whistling 3 animal and plant effigy Stirrup spout vessels and human figurines made from molds Everyday utilitarian pottery was still very fine with thin decorated walls and red or black slips polished to a high sheen Surfaces of bowls bottles ollas and other ceramic pieces were incised painted pattern burnished or decorated with rocker stamps 2 Ceramics were used in personal adornments as well examples being ceramic ear spools and rocker stamps used for body painting 4 Unusual decorative features of Chorrera ceramics include resist painting and iridescent slips 1 Use of metals editChorrera craftsmen produced some of the earliest metal objects in Ecuador Numerous metal objects and fragments were excavated at the coastal site of Salango Objects from copper silver and gold were made mostly elite goods like jewelry 5 Diet editCrops cultivated by Chorrera people include achira Canna indica arrowroot Maranta arundinacea corn Zea mays common beans Phaseolus vulgaris as well as gourds and squash Cucurbitaceae They also gathered wild tree fruits sedge Cyperaceae and palm Palmae 6 Chorrera people fished and hunted as well catching game such as armadillo deer including white tailed and brocket deer duck frogs lizards peccary and various rodents 6 Trade editThis culture continued the brisk trade network established by Valdivia and Machalilla cultures Chorrera fisherman traded spiny oyster shells Spondylus and other marine shells with people from the Quito basin for obsidian 6 Gold is traded in the latter centuries BCE 1 Decline editIn 467 BCE the Pululahua Volcano north of Quito erupted sending volcanic ash over much of the western Ecuadorian lowland regions which greatly reduced the expressions of Chorrera culture however some Chorrera settlements in the far north and south continued for several centuries These evolved into more complex cultures of the Regional Developmental Period of 200 and 300 BCE 7 References edit a b c d White Nancy Early Horizon First Civilization Archived 2007 06 30 at the Wayback Machine South American Archaeology retrieved 1 June 2011 a b c Zeidler 468 Ayala Esparza MA Gallardo Carillo GF Molina Alarcon M 2019 The song of air and water Acoustic experiments with an Ecuadorian Whistle Bottle c 900 BC 100 BC Internet Archaeology 52 doi 10 11141 ia 52 2 Retrieved 18 November 2019 Zeidler 468 9 Dorothy Hosler The Sounds and Colors of Power The Sacred Metallurgical Technology of Ancient West Mexico MIT Press 1994 ISBN 0262082306 p106 a b c Zeidler 470 Zeidler 471Bibliography editZeidler J A The Ecuadorian Formative Helaine Silverman and William H Isbell eds Handbook of South American Archaeology New York Springer 2008 ISBN 978 0 387 75228 0 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chorrera culture Chorrera ceramics National Museum of the American Indian Chorrera Culture Archived 2009 01 22 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chorrera culture amp oldid 1172331492, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
