Dieta y uso de animales en el potosí Colonial

Abstract

Spanish colonization in the region of Potosí, Bolivia was accompanied by changes in local food production, distribution, and consumption practices. Spaniards established animals that were of Eurasian origin to create a supply of meat that was familiar and acceptable to traditional Iberian practice. The degree of change was dependent on the existing food production system, the geographic location of the colonial settlement, the size and demographic composition of the colony, and trade and exchange systems. In Upper Peru, the colonial fusion of Eurasian animals and Andean resources resulted in the emergence of colonial practices that were distinct in the Americas. Excavations of colonial sites in Porco demonstrate that the indigenous workers who resided in the mining communities adopted relatively few animals of Eurasian origin. A zooarchaeological analysis indicates that the majority of the fauna is of local origin. The pattern of animal use at Porco is in stark contrast to the pattern of animal use documented at the colonial site of Tarapaya where Spanish residents overcame obstacles of distance, spoilage, and transport to acquire animals of Eurasian origin as well as a very diverse range of foodstuffs including a variety of fish.