Abstract

LEIBOWICZ, Ivan. Chenques in Central-Southern Patagonia. Comechingonia [online]. 2013, vol.17, n.2, pp.275-293. ISSN 1851-0027.

It has been stated that societies that occupied the Argentinean Norwest during the Late Period were entities socially stratified. A specialized craft production serving an elite and the controlled exchange of luxury goods were their most remarkable characteristics. In sum, these were societies ruled by elites in competition for leadership and livelihood assets. The aim of this paper is to go beyond a negative position and to analyze this phenomenon from materialities that allow us to investigate this situation and generate alternative explanations from the presence of some evidence and not only from the lack of it.Thus, we propose that in societies whose material culture is roughly homogeneous, there are peculiarities that may be suggesting the existence of certain individuals who, because of their status or special abilities, have enjoyed some kind of prerogative, even if this was only temporal.

Keywords : Regional Development Period; Quebrada de Humahuaca; Leadership; Material homogeneity.

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