Técnicas de producción cerámica de Imbabura: una reflexión arqueológica y de saberes locales en la Sierra Norte del Ecuador

Abstract

This article stresses the importance of ethnography in the archaeological investigations of northern Andes of Ecuador. The discussion focuses on the production process of ceramics in two pottery-producing localties in the province of Imbabura. Through the analysis of X-ray Diffraction (XRD) of clays from source áreas as well as contemporary and archaeological ceramics, together with the documentation of production techniques, a discussion of archaeological ceramics from the territory of the Caranqui is presented. In this way, it is shown that there is continuity between archaeological and contemporary ceramics, a mineralogical similarity between clay sources and Imbabura ceramics. There is also a quantity of tools that judging from ethnographic contexts are used in ceramic production but are often ignored in the archaeological record.

Keywords

• Ecuador
• potters
• ceramic production process
• Caranquis
• northern Andes