Reconstruyendo las prácticas fumatorias del Sitio La Granja (130 a 1000 D.C., Valle Del Río Cachapoal, vi región, Chile central) a partir de los microfósiles

Abstract

To broaden the definition of the Smoking Complex proposed for La Granja site (Cachapoal river valley, VIth Region, Central Chile, 130-1000 AD) we have studied the microfossils contained in 62 smoking pipes. Our aim is to determine what elements were consumed and how they are associated to the knowledge and selection of the intended effects. Different pipe segments were sampled with these techniques. Forty seven pipes contained microfossils. The mouth pieces had the highest averages of microfossils (25.46), compared to the other pipe segments, like the bowl-tube insertion (15.67) and tube (6.66). This approach allowed the taxonomic affinity of some plants and smoked elements, specifically Nicotiana spp. in nine pipes, of other taxa with less recurrence than tobacco and added elements such as animal dung. New specificity in the interpretation of the use and modalities of smoking activities is achieved by crossing the information of morphologic and stylistic attributes of the pipes, through the identification of microfossils, and with the average and variety of taxa contained in each sector of the pipes.