Historia de la arqueología de alta montaña en los Andes de Argentina y Chile: Desde los orígenes hasta el descubrimiento de las momias incas del volcán Llullaillaco

Abstract

Las primeras referencias sobre vestigios arqueológicos en altas cumbres de los Andes se remontan a fines del siglo XIX; pero recién a mediados del siglo XX cobraron importancia los aportes de Antonio Beorchia Nigris y otros montañistas aficionados a las exploraciones en altura, además de tener lugar los primeros rescates con intervención de arqueólogos profesionales encabezados por Juan Schobinger. Eventualmente, la arqueología de alta montaña se consolidó como disciplina científica en los años noventa, cuando Constanza Ceruti (quien escribe) desarrolló las primeras propuestas teórico-metodológicas para el estudio de los sitios rituales en alta montaña, realizando más de cien prospecciones en cumbres por encima de 5000 metros y codirigiendo con el antropólogo Johan Reinhard las excavaciones en el sitio más alto del mundo, que condujeron al descubrimiento y puesta a resguardo de las momias del volcán Llullaillaco y sus ofrendas. Desafiando, con precarios y escasos recursos, condiciones extremas de hipobaria, hipoxia y temperaturas negativas, los trabajos pioneros en arqueología de alta montaña aportaron importantísimos estudios sobre el ceremonialismo Inca y contribuyeron a la puesta en valor del paisaje cultural alto-andino, vulnerable a la destrucción por búsqueda de tesoros, factores climáticos y excesos en la minería. Este artículo recorre la historia de la arqueología de altura en los Andes de Argentina y Chile desde sus orígenes hasta fines del pasado milenio, enfatizando aportes de profesionales que lograron sistematizarla como campo de investigación y proyectarla al siglo XXI en disciplinas emergentes ampliamente internacionalizadas, como la arqueología de glaciares.Abstract: the first references to archaeological evidences in the high peaks of the Andes date back to the end of the 19th century; but it was not until the middle of the 20th century that the contributions of Antonio Beorchia Nigris and other mountaineers fond of high-altitude explorations became important, in addition to the first rescue interventions with professional archaeologists led by Juan Schobinger. Eventually, high altitude archeology was consolidated as a scientific discipline in the 1990s, when the author of this paper, Constanza Ceruti, developed the first theoretical-methodological proposals for the study of high mountain ritual sites, carrying out more than one hundred surveys on peaks above of 5000 meters and co-directing with anthropologist Johan Reinhard the excavations at the highest site in the world, which led to the discovery and safekeeping of the mummies of volcano Llullaillaco and their associated offerings. Challenging extreme conditions of hypobaria, hypoxia and negative temperatures with precarious and scarce resources, the pioneering works in high mountain archeology made possible various studies on Inca ceremonialism and contributed to the appreciation of the high-Andean cultural landscape, vulnerable to destruction due to treasure hunting, climatic factors and excesses in mining. This article traces the history of high altitude archeology in the Andes of Argentina and Chile from its origins until the end of the last millennium, emphasizing the contributions of professionals who managed to systematize it as a field of research and project it into the 21st century in emerging international disciplines such as glacier archeology.

The first references to archaeological evidences in the high peaks of the Andes date back to the end of the 19th century; but it was not until the middle of the 20th century that the contributions of Antonio Beorchia Nigris and other mountaineers fond of high-altitude explorations became important, in addition to the first rescue interventions with professional archaeologists led by Juan Schobinger. Eventually, high altitude archeology was consolidated as a scientific discipline in the 1990s, when the author of this paper, Constanza Ceruti, developed the first theoretical-methodological proposals for the study of high mountain ritual sites, carrying out more than one hundred surveys on peaks above of 5000 meters and co-directing with anthropologist Johan Reinhard the excavations at the highest site in the world, which led to the discovery and safekeeping of the mummies of volcano Llullaillaco and their associated offerings. Challenging extreme conditions of hypobaria, hypoxia and negative temperatures with precarious and scarce resources, the pioneering works in high mountain archeology made possible various studies on Inca ceremonialism and contributed to the appreciation of the high-Andean cultural landscape, vulnerable to destruction due to treasure hunting, climatic factors and excesses in mining. This article traces the history of high altitude archeology in the Andes of Argentina and Chile from its origins until the end of the last millennium, emphasizing the contributions of professionals who managed to systematize it as a field of research and project it into the 21st century in emerging international disciplines such as glacier archeology.