Pathoecology of Chiribaya parasitism

Abstract

The excavations of Chiribaya culture sites in the Osmore drainage of southern Peru focused on the recovery of information about prehistoric disease, including parasitism. The archaeologists excavated human, dog, guinea pig, and llama mummies. These mummies were analyzed for internal and external parasites. The results of the analysis and reconstruction of prehistoric life from the excavations allows us to interpret the pathoecology of the Chiribaya culture.

Keywords

• pathoecology
• archaeoparasitology
• endoparasitism
• ectoparasitism
• Peru