El templete de Tulán y sus relaciones formativas panandinas (norte de Chile)

Abstract

It is assumed that religious practices associated with temple structures is an atribute of complex societies in the nuclear Andes. Recent excavations at the western highlands of the Atacama Puna (south central Andes), have revealed a temple structure under a stratified mound dated 900-400 years B.C. We compared its ritual indicators - human newborn burials, structures with petroglyphs, offerings in pits, fireplaces and niches located on the perimetral walls, with synchronous religious traditions in the Andean highlands. We postulated that Tulán evidences are linked with a rising complexity process during the Late Archaic which consolidates during the Tilocalar phase of the Early Formative (1400-400 B.C.). Similar to Wankarani-meridional altiplano, in Tulán we found structures and mound deposits consisting of fireplaces, camelid bones, and patterns of discard derived from domestic refuse and ceremonial activities

Keywords

• Temple structure
• religious complexity
• Early Formative
• Atacama Puna