The Mayo-Chinchipe culture existed from c. 5500 – 1700 BCE in the highlands of what is now

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

Location

It extended from the sources of Valladolid river, in the

Podocarpus National Park Podocarpus National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Podocarpus) is a national park located in the provinces of Zamora Chinchipe and Loja, in the south-east of Ecuador. It was created in 1982. It covers 1462.80 km2, from two spurs of the eas ...

in Ecuador, to where Chinchipe flows into the Marañon (in the area of

Bagua, Peru Bagua is a city in Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto ...

), and received its name from the river names.Mayo-Chinchipe culture (Spanish)
- Proyecto Zamora - Chinchipe

Culture

The best known Mayo-Chinchipe site is

Santa Ana (La Florida) Santa Ana (La Florida) is an important archaeological site in the highlands of Ecuador, going back as early as 3,500 BC. It is located in the Palanda Canton, just to the north of its regional capital of :es:Palanda, in the Zamora-Chinchipe Province ...

, where a temple and ceremonial hearth have been found. Also at , related ceremonial centers were found. In the same general area, in Palanda, Ecuador (just across the border with Peru), a tomb was found with stone and ceramic artifacts, as well as cacao and Spondylus shells. Another related site is San Isidro, in Peru, close to Jaen ( Jaen District), and in the same general area as Montegrande. The culture is believed to have included shamanism and other specialist work roles. It used stone and pottery technologies, and consumed cacao and possibly corn beer.

Trading

The culture is believed to have traded plants with coastal cultures such as the

Valdivia Valdivia (; Mapuche: Ainil) is a city and commune in southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder Pedro de Valdivia and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and Cau-Cau R ...

References

{{Reflist, 1 Archaeological cultures of South America