The dynamics of the Raya-Raya farming site in the occupational history of one sector of the Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina)

Abstract

In agro-ceramic societies such as those that occupied the Quebrada de Humahuaca during the past two millennia, agricultural practices tightly framed daily activities within a space that included both cultivated fields and settled areas. In this sense, the detailed analysis of an agricultural area turns out to be relevant for increasing our understanding of the daily activities and beliefs of social actors as complete social acts. In this article, I present an architectural analysis of the agricultural structures and their configuration at Raya-Raya, with the aim of understanding their role in the broader occupational history of the south-central sector of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, taking into account distinct periods of construction and use. Raya-Raya is one of the agricultural sites of the in the Quebrada de Humahuaca and the only one with a complete plan that permits the study of its spacial configuration. The current use of the site by the Aboriginal Community of Finca Tumbaya is depicted, and some future perspectives with regard to the study of Raya-Raya are presented.