Post marital residence pattern in ancient populations of the North of Chile

Abstract

Although kinship relationships and residence patterns in current native communities in northern Chile are known, there is little information available on ancient populations. In this paper, social relationships and postmarital residence pattern are investigated through the analysis of phenotypic traits of six localities (Punta de Teatinos, El Cerrito, CaletaHuelén 42, Pisagua, Calama and San Pedro de Atacama). These localities include 21 archaeological sites and 946 individuals dated from 3000 BC to AD 1450. The distributions of mean phenotypes between localities and between sexes by locality were evaluated using discriminant analysis and phenotypic divergence by the Fst statistic. The residence pattern was determined by the estimation for each sex of Fst statistics between localities and archaeological periods. The results allow to infer a pattern of matrilocal or bilocal residence in the Archaic and Agroalfarero periods. The female group integrates a highly structured population model with fewer migrants per generation and the male group a less structured model with more migrants per generation. In general, the observed residential pattern depends on the differences in migration rates and the effective sizes of both sexes.