El Periodo Intermedio (Horizonte Medio) en los valles de Cochabamba: una perspectiva del análisis de asentamientos humanos y uso de tierras

Abstract

The Early Intermediate Period (Middle Horizon) at Cochabamba Valleys: A Perspective of the Analysis of Human Settlements and Land Use

Knowledge of regional interaction during the Intemediate Period (AD 500-1000) in the South Central Andes (corresponding to the Middle Horizon of the Central Andes) is essential for understanding the territorial expansion of Prehispanic Andean states. This study analyzes settlement and land use patterns in Cochabamba during the transition from the Early Intermediate Period (200 BC-AC 500) to the Middle Horizon. It has been suggested that during this latter period Cochabamba was colonized by the Tiwanaku polity to obtain agricultural resources. Archaeology of the Middle Horizon in Cochabamba is characterized by the presence of Tiwanaku style pottery, but presence of ceramics alone does not document colonization or administration from the Altiplano. In this study I analyze human occupation during the Middle Horizon in two survey areas, examining settlement and land use (agricultural capacity). The absence of changes in land use strategies and only minor variations in settlement patterns during the Middle Horizon do not correspond with changes accompanying territorial expansion by the Tiwanaku polity. I suggest a model of independent local populations to understand the occupation of Cochabamba durign the Middle Horizon. Consequently, this study offers a new example of variation in regional interaction during the Tiwanaku times in the southern Andes.